Effects of workplace peers and informational and normative conformities on commute mode decisions

Abstract

Workplace peers and social conformity significantly influence commute mode choices, alongside service attributes like travel cost and travel time. This study examines the effects of workplace interactions and social conformity on mode choice decisions, based on data collected from 104 workplaces in Hyderabad, India. The analysis considers five major commuting modes: four-wheeled conventional cars, public transit, ride-hailing taxis, motorized two-wheelers (MTWs), and walking. The study explores three important aspects of social influence on work trips: (i) the impact of homophily across dual, informational, and normative conformities; (ii) the role of homophily across work-related, non-work-related, and mixed interactions; and (iii) gender-based differences in homophily effects on mode choice. Additionally, socio-demographic characteristics and service attributes such as travel cost and travel time are considered as key explanatory variables. The findings reveal that work-related networks positively influence MTW and public transport mode choices, while non-work-related networks encourage active commuting. Individuals with dual conformity tendencies are particularly responsive to peer behaviour, especially in adopting ride-hailing taxis. Females' decisions to ride MTWs and public modes are more influenced by social networks. Elasticity analysis highlights that ride-hailing taxis act as substitutes for public modes, with commuters demonstrating high price sensitivity, particularly for public transit and taxis. Additionally, travel distance plays a critical role in shifting commuters from MTWs to ride-hailing taxis and public transport modes. These findings underscore the importance of social interactions, and conformity in shaping urban commute patterns and provide insights for transport policies promoting sustainable mobility.