Abstract
Traffic congestion and unsustainable mobility patterns represent a severe issue for most Brazilian cities, with traditional approaches often proving to be scarcely effective in tackling the problem. We argue that a crucial hindrance is represented by the limited attention devoted to “the commuter perspective”: only a deeper understanding of the motives behind mobility-related behaviors of citizens would enable policy makers to implement sound mobility plans. We performed an empirical investigation on residents of the city of Florianópolis (n = 436), analyzing the determinants of modal choice. Results confirm the pivotal role exerted by habits, and the willingness of respondents to opt for sustainable transport modes; a peculiar finding is represented by the marginality of social and environmental aspects in shaping commuters’ behaviors, and the perceived lack of convenient alternatives that is yet hindering a broad shift which is seen as necessary. Based on the evidence emerging from the study, we provide a contribution to the debate by discussing possible lines of action and policy options that could be implemented.
Data availability statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.