Park-and-Ride Access Station Choice Model for Cross-Regional Commuter Trips in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)

摘要

The paper presents an investigation on park-and-ride (P&R) access station choices of cross regional commuter in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Data from a household travel survey conducted in 2006 in the GTHA is used for empirical investigation. The household travel survey data is supplemented by data from transit service operators regarding P&R station locations, parking lot capacities, parking costs, surrounding land use, and station amenities. Three groups of park-and-ride users are defined herein: individuals who have only local transit (TTC Subway) stations within a reasonable reach, individuals with only regional transit (GO Rail) stations within reach, and individuals who have both GO Rail and TTC Subway stations within reach. Different model structures and specifications are tested and three discrete choice models are estimated. Empirical models reveal that access distance and the relative station direction (toward the work place) are the primary factors affecting transit station choice for park and-ride options. However, between station distance and relative station direction, commuters are more sensitive to changes in station access distance than to changes in the relative station direction from their households. In addition, the empirical models reveal that local transit park and-ride users are less sensitive to access distance than regional transit park-and-ride users. The results of this investigation can be useful in future transit station design projects in order to attract more commuters to use park-and-ride.