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Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Stéphane Brutus, Roshan Javadian and Alexandra Joelle Panaccio

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of various commuting modes on stress and mood upon arrival at work.

1811

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of various commuting modes on stress and mood upon arrival at work.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on stress and mood were collected after 123 employees arrived at work by bike, car, or public transit. In order to account for the natural fluctuation of stress and mood throughout the day, the assessment of the dependent variables was made within the first 45 minutes of arrival at work.

Findings

As hypothesized, those who cycled to work were less stressed than their counterparts who arrived by car. However, there was no difference in mood among the different mode users.

Practical implications

A lower level of early stress among cyclists offers further evidence for the promotion of active commute modes.

Originality/value

This study underscores the importance of being sensitive to time-based variations in stress and mood levels when investigating the impact of commute modes.

Details

International Journal of Workplace Health Management, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8351

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 8 May 2003

Hiroshi Wakabayashi, Katsuhiko Asaoka, Yasunori Iida and Hiroyuki Kameda

In this study, a mode choice model explicitly considering travel time reliability is developed. This model quantifies travelers' attitudes towards travel time variability as well…

Abstract

In this study, a mode choice model explicitly considering travel time reliability is developed. This model quantifies travelers' attitudes towards travel time variability as well as average travel time. Data were collected from the morning commuters who have two or three alternative modes including some public transportation and private vehicles. The survey period includes both a normal period where all the transportation modes were available and an abnormal period where the main major public transportation service was closed. The model is applied to practical commuters' decision making, and one of the findings in the mode choice model is that they pay relatively large attention to the travel time variability. In this model, travel time variability is dealt with as the possibilities that the commuters arrive before or after their job starting time separately. The best-fit model indicates that the commuters pay more attention to early arrival and less to late arrival in the normal period. In the abnormal period, however, their attention shifts drastically to late arrival. This suggests that the commuters behave optimistically in the normal period and pessimistically in the abnormal period.

Details

The Network Reliability of Transport
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-08-044109-2

Abstract

Details

Auto Motives
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85-724234-1

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 August 2021

Marieke Versteijlen, Bert van Wee and Arjen Wals

Daily commuting trips of higher education (HE) students account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint of a HE institution. Considerations of students underlying their…

3379

Abstract

Purpose

Daily commuting trips of higher education (HE) students account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint of a HE institution. Considerations of students underlying their choice of travel mode and their decision to make the trip to campus or to study online are explored as a necessary first step for finding an optimal balance between online and on-campus learning from both a sustainability and an educational perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

Focus group conversations were held with student groups from different study programmes of a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands.

Findings

Dutch students’ travel mode choices seem to depend on measures regulating travel demand such as a free public transport card and high parking costs. The findings indicate that students make reasoned choices about making a trip to campus. These choices depend on considerations about their schedule, type, lecturer and content of a course, social norms and their own perceived behavioural control. Alternative online options can provide students with more flexibility to make choices adapted to their needs.

Social implications

While these findings are useful for sustainable and educational reasons, they also seem helpful in times of COVID-19 which calls for a re-design of curricula to allow for blended forms of online and on-campus learning.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first studies looking at students’ considerations when deciding whether to travel to campus to learn or stay at home learning online.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 22 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 March 2022

Jorge O. Moreno, Cinthya G. Caamal-Olvera and Edgar M. Luna

This paper aims to analyze the demand for mobility in higher education to understand the critical elements of students' mobility and the potential impact of accessing sustainable…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the demand for mobility in higher education to understand the critical elements of students' mobility and the potential impact of accessing sustainable alternatives. The demand for different means of transportation accounts for socioeconomic variables such as household income and size, gender, age, among other travel factors such as distance, time, speed and direct cost.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a unique data set encompassing a representative sample of households across gender and municipalities in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area in Mexico. This paper uses the value of transportation time savings approach to estimate the derived demand for mobility in higher education across different means. The empirical strategy uses a linear utility framework in a multinomial non-ordered logit model to analyze the conditional selection of transportation as a function of sociodemographics, direct monetary costs and travel determinants such as travel time, distance and speed.

Findings

Men students are more likely to use an unsustained transportation mode such as a car or cab than women. Income is a crucial determinant for transportation demand. There is a negative relationship between household income and walking or riding the bus but positive with driving a car. An increase in the time of the trip decreases the probability of walking while increasing the likelihood of using a car or riding the bus to school. Students who feel safe while riding a bus are more likely to use the bus or walk as transportation than using a car. Finally, having access to better quality sidewalks significantly incentive walking over other transportation options.

Practical implications

Results show that individuals would almost always choose private vehicles because of the personal comforts and time savings.

Social implications

Understanding the demand for higher education and access to sustainable transportation might provide new insights into campus planning and development. Access to public transportation options can reduce the travel costs for students with lower incomes and enlarge options for students who have to commute longer distances by car. Sustainable transportation access plays a role in promoting equality and economic development.

Originality/value

This study’s results bring new light on how transportation becomes an essential component of the opportunity cost of college education and could define its role in promoting equality or increasing inequality. This study’s finding is of particular interest for cities where housing location seems to be independent of access to school, work or other amenities.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 24 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 13 May 2015

Wafa Elias

The purposes of this study are to explore children’s independent mobility, that is the degree to which children of different ages are allowed to make trips to school, friends…

Abstract

Purpose

The purposes of this study are to explore children’s independent mobility, that is the degree to which children of different ages are allowed to make trips to school, friends, shops, and other destinations unaccompanied by adults within the Arab communities in Israel and to study the influence of the demographic and socio-economic characteristics, built environment, geographical location, cultural context, and risk perceptions on children’s independent mobility.

Methodology

This study is based on a questionnaire given to children between 9 and 15 years old studying in 4th to 9th grades and to one parent or primary caregiver. The methodology of this study is based on descriptive statistics comparing independent mobility licenses and travel behavior of two school children groups: Arab and Jewish children. In addition logistic regression models were developed to study the influence of different factors on independent mobility such as: car availability, gender, age, social class, and so on. In order to examine whether children with independent mobility do more and have access to a wider range of activities than those who do not, a linear regression analysis was performed with the dependent variable being the number of unaccompanied journeys to the various activities in the weekend.

Findings

Results clearly show that boys were granted greater freedom in terms of mobility licenses, as were secondary school children compared with those attending primary school. Walking is still the main commuting mode to school. One of the important findings in this study is that children are not interested in walking. That is, regardless of the built environment and parents driving options, children prefer to be driven.

Social implications

This study will provide essential information for the development of policies and interventions in urban planning, transport planning, community development, community safety initiatives, and health planning.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to examine levels of independent mobility among the Arab school children in Israel, as well as their participation in active transport (e.g., walking/cycling) during journeys to school and to other local destinations.

Therefore, this study will hopefully provide a baseline for future studies in this area and act as a catalyst for more research into independence and mobility, and how this impacts sustainability.

Details

Sustainable Urban Transport
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-615-7

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 29 January 2013

Alejandro Tudela, Khandker M. Nurul Habib and Ahmed Osman Idris

Purpose — Study the causal effect of psychological factors on mode choice, using an instrument which gathered attitudinal, affective and habitual behaviour factors, with an…

Abstract

Purpose — Study the causal effect of psychological factors on mode choice, using an instrument which gathered attitudinal, affective and habitual behaviour factors, with an application to a Canadian and Chilean sample.

Approach — Ad hoc questionnaire used to collect information related to psychological factors, studying the role of these factors upon mode choice using structural equation modelling, combining a measurement model and the latent variables.

Findings — Emotional (affective) factors have a strong influence on mode choice, as well as attitudinal and habitual factors. Car users have a strong positive emotion to the transport mode they use when compared with public transport users and transit utilization.

Research limitations — The inclusion of social factors, such as norm, role and self-concept, is desirable for a better understanding of people's behaviour regarding transport mode usage. The structural equation modelling was used to analyse the causal effects among factors, but it is not intended to model mode choice. An advanced approach would be to estimate a hybrid discrete choice model.

Practical implications — Realizing the real importance of personal psychological factors on mode choice is a key issue when intending to implement mobility and travel demand management strategies. The success of these strategies strongly relies on people's change of behaviour, which does not depend only on instrumental and socio-demographic factors, such as cost, time and income, but also on these very inner personal aspects.

Originality/value — Capture psychological factors through a comprehensive survey, which rests on a psychological framework and considers simultaneously attitudinal, affective and habitual personal factors, as well as instrumental and socio-demographic information. Make a comparison among cities belonging to different countries regarding the role of these factors, cities with a different cultural and social background.

Details

Transport Survey Methods
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78-190288-2

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Building Blocks for Sustainable Transport
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85-724516-8

Article
Publication date: 6 January 2012

Sean R. Williamson

The purpose of this paper is to establish necessity and methods for considering greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation policies at a system‐level. The research emphasizes connecting…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish necessity and methods for considering greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation policies at a system‐level. The research emphasizes connecting narrowly focused GHG mitigation objectives (e.g. reduce single occupancy vehicle travel) with broader institutional objectives (e.g. growth in student population) to demonstrate how policies operating at different scales individually and collectively influence GHG reductions.

Design/methodology/approach

First, a framework for defining divergent policy types and associated GHG impacts is developed. Second, relying on data from a higher education institution, a quantitative model for testing policy impacts is formulated. Last, through adjustment of the model's policy levers, GHG emission trajectories by policy type are compared.

Findings

The central finding is that broad level policies associated with housing stock and student growth are more capable of influencing GHG emissions than traditionally classified mitigation policies such as investing in alternatives transportation services. Moreover, based on the divide between stationary and mobile emission sources and related energy intensities, the incentive exists for reducing housing investments and increasing student commuting rates as a means of cost‐effectively managing GHG emissions in the short term.

Originality/value

Tradeoffs exist in GHG mitigation efforts and wider higher education planning. However, institutions lack the methods and tools to evaluate these tradeoffs, either within the narrow field of GHG mitigation efforts or across broader institutional priorities. This research presents a method and case study for better understanding tradeoffs through a systems approach.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

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