Multimodality incentivized by employer-based travel demand management

ABSTRACT

This study explored the effectiveness of various employer-based travel demand management strategies in promoting multimodality and mode substitution among employees in Washington state using a mixed multinomial logit model. The study found that employee transportation coordinators played an important role in encouraging the use of sustainable travel modes. Spatial analysis revealed that individuals who lived and worked in proximity were more likely to adopt multimodal transportation. The study also highlighted the convenience of driving alone and the lack of information on sustainable alternatives as two major barriers to the adoption of sustainable transportation modes and recommended educational campaigns to increase awareness. To inform practice, this study identified transit subsidies, parking pricing, and work schedule flexibility as the most effective TDM strategies to promote multimodality and mode substitution, followed by compressed workweeks, and providing easy access to transit and amenities.

KEYWORDS:

• Multimodality
• mode substitution
• employer-based travel demand management
• mixed multinomial logit model
• Washington State

Acknowledgments

The author would like to express appreciation for the funding support provided by the US Department of Transportation National Institute for Congestion Research, as well as the data support from the Washington State Department of Transportation. The author would also like to thank Philip Winters for the valuable advice provided during the study, and Xiankui Yang for the assistance with data analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.