Exploring Influencing Factors of Intercity Mode Choice from View of Entire Travel Chain

Exploring the influencing factors of intercity travel mode choice can reveal passengers’ travel decision mechanisms and help traffic departments to develop an effective demand management policy. To investigate these factors, a survey was conducted in Xi’an, China, to collect data about passengers’ travel chains, including airplane, high-speed railway (HSR), train, and express bus. A Bayesian mixed multinomial logit model is developed to identify significant factors and explicate unobserved heterogeneity across observations. The effect of significant factors on intercity travel mode choice is quantitatively assessed by the odds ratio (OR) technique. The results show that the Bayesian mixed multinomial logit model outperforms the traditional Bayesian multinomial logit model, indicating that accommodating the unobserved heterogeneity across observations can improve the model fit. The model estimation results show that ticket purchasing method, comfort, punctuality, and access time are random parameters that have heterogeneous effects on intercity travel mode choice.

Public Preferences for Pasture Landscapes and the Role of Scale Heterogeneity

The paper investigates the influence of different model specifications for interpreting the results of discrete choice experiments when investigating heterogeneous public landscape preferences. Comparing model specifications based on the Mixed Multinomial Logit and the Generalized Multinomial Logit Model reveals that the parameter estimates appear qualitatively comparable. Still, a more in-depth investigation of the conditional estimate distributions of the sample show that parameter interactions in the Generalized Multinomial Logit Model lead to different interpretations compared to the Mixed Multinomial Logit Model. This highlights the potential impact of common model specifications in the results in landscape preference studies.

Older Adults’ Choice of Patterns of Outdoor Physical Activity Duration: A Mixed Multinomial Logit Model

Outdoor physical activity duration is a key component of outdoor physical activity behavior of older adults, and therefore, an important determinant of their total physical activity levels. In order to develop a successful outdoor physical activity program, it is important to identify any heterogeneity in preferences for outdoor physical activity duration patterns among older adults. In addition, more insight is needed in the influence of environmental characteristics on duration choice for creating supportive neighborhood environments matching individuals’ preferences. To this end, a mixed multinomial logit model is estimated based on one-week data collected among 336 respondents aged 60 or over in 2017 in Dalian, China. The present model formulation accounts for heterogeneity in individuals’ preferences and allows for the analysis of substitution and complementary relationships between the different patterns of outdoor physical activity duration. Results indicate that older adults vary significantly in their preferences for each outdoor physical activity duration pattern. Moreover, short walking duration, short exercise duration and medium exercise duration are substitutes for medium walking duration while short walking duration and short exercise duration are complements for medium exercise duration in terms of individuals’ outdoor physical activity duration preferences. In addition, we find that distance to the nearest park, footpath conditions and neighborhood aesthetics are associated with older adults’ outdoor physical activity duration choice.

Evaluating pedestrian perceptions of street design with a 3D stated preference survey

In many places, streets are still primarily designed for the convenience of motorists, considering mobility function as the principal design goal. There is a scarcity of empirical evidence on the relationship between the design of a street and how it is experienced by pedestrians who use it. This work focuses on quantifying pedestrians’ perception of walkability through a stated preference survey using a dynamic 3D representation of various street designs in Toronto, Canada. The stated preference scenarios are generated through a rule-based 3D environment (Esri’s CityEngine) and animated using a gaming engine (Unity). A random sample of 600 Torontonians is used for the empirical investigation by estimating a mixed multinomial logit model. The results indicate that there is a high preference for (i) streets that include transit lanes as opposed to car-exclusive lanes, (ii) the presence of trees on the sidewalk, and (iii) two-way cycle paths on the curb lane. Furthermore, pedestrians are willing to trade sidewalk width for the presence of trees and outdoor dining. The survey’s innovative presentation mode and its findings can contribute to the development of much-needed evidence-based design tools to assess the trade-offs required between the many possible uses of roadway space, while focusing on the overlooked role of the pedestrian experience.

(Endogenous) occupational choices and job satisfaction among recent Spanish PhD recipients

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse differences in overall job satisfaction and specific job domain satisfaction among PhDs employed in different sectors four years after completing their doctorate degrees. The author take job satisfaction as a comprehensive proxy of perceived job quality. The author draw on data from two successive cohorts of PhD graduates from public universities of Catalonia (Spain). Design/methodology/approach – First, the author estimate covariate-adjusted job satisfaction differentials for PhD holders employed in different employment sectors, namely: university, research institutes, public sector (government and public administration) and private sector. A stepwise inclusion of job-related covariates enables appreciating the underlying mechanisms that that generate the observed job satisfaction differentials across sectors. Second, the author take into account the endogenous sorting of PhDs into different sectors by jointly modelling sector choice and job satisfaction, where the former is assumed to follow a mixed multinomial logit model. Findings – The results indicate that PhD holders employed outside academic and research jobs are more satisfied with the pecuniary facets of their work, but significantly less satisfied with non-monetary aspects of job quality. The selectivity-corrected job satisfaction differentials highlight the importance of self-selection and confirm that PhD holders suffer a penalisation for working in non-academic occupations, thus revealing the existence of “academic rents”. Originality/value – This is the first paper that presents a systematic and consistent analysis of job satisfaction differentials among PhD holders that work in different types of occupations, taking into account that sector choice is an endogenous variable, potentially related to unobserved traits that affect job satisfaction. The results are rich of policy implications, which are especially relevant in the light of the existing debate regarding the excess of PhD in the labour market of several European Countries and their subsequent risk of underemployment.