Stated Preference Approach for Measuring the Perceived Benefit to Drive-Alone Users If They Switch to Park and Ride: An Indian Perspective

Park and ride facilities can be a potential instrument for addressing the rising congestion problems and ensuring sustainable urban mobility in major Indian cities, equipped with fast and excellent metro systems. The present study attempts to understand the travel behavior of commuters (four-wheeled private vehicle users only) in relation to the introduction of park and ride as a sustainable and economical alternative mode of travel to driving alone in a private vehicle in the context of Delhi, India. The present study measures the perceived benefit to drive-alone users in Delhi with regard to their willingness to pay (WTP) for switching to a better-quality park and ride service instead of using their private vehicles. Choice-based responses along with socioeconomic and travel information were collected from 559 drive-alone users using a tablet-based stated preference survey instrument. The responses were then analyzed using a multinomial logit (MNL) model. Further, WTP estimates of the noncost attributes were calculated to derive the perceived benefit to drive-alone users if they were to switch to using a park and ride service. The study also developed a generalized cost (GC) equation using the parameter and WTP estimates derived from the MNL model. Finally, the study conducted a post-estimation analysis using the GC equation to examine the influences of identified explanatory attributes on the GC for drive-alone users who switched to park and ride. “Trip length,”“parking cost,” and “parking type” exerted a significant influence on the generalized cost, indicating that drive-alone users could expect considerable savings (perceived benefit with regard to utility gain) if they were to choose park and ride.