PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD TRANSPORT MODES: A SUMMARY OF TWO PILOT STUDIES

Abstract

THIS PAPER SUMMARIZES ATTITUDINAL RESEARCH CONDUCTED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS BY A UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND RESEARCH TEAM. OBJECTIVES WERE (1) TO IDENTIFY AND ASSESS THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTRIBUTES OF AN IDEAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM BY MEASURING CONSUMER ATTITUDES, AND (2) TO DETERMINE HOW SATISFIED THESE CONSUMERS ARE WITH EXISTING SYSTEMS IN TERMS OF THESE ATTRIBUTES. A DISTINCT FINDING OF PREFERENCE FOR PRIVATE MODES WAS IDENTIFIED, ALTHOUGH SUBSTANTIAL VARIABILITY EXISTED AMONG THE ATTRIBUTES STUDIED. AN INTERESTING TRICHOTOMOUS RESPONSE PATTERN EVOLVED WHEN DATA WERE DISTRIBUTED AND ANALYZED ALONG DEMOGRAPHIC AND TRIP CHARACTERISTIC DIMENSIONS. /AUTHOR/