Understanding park-and-ride decisions: The influence of travel information, values, and attitudes

Multimodal advanced traveler information systems (MATIS) are widely regarded as essential tools for promoting sustainable mobility and supporting traffic demand management strategies, such as park-and-ride (P + R) schemes. However, in many countries, MATIS has not been fully integrated into P + R route planning, potentially limiting the effectiveness of such policies. This study aims to explore how travel information provided via MATIS influences private car drivers’ decisions to choose P + R mode, with a particular focus on the role of personal values and attitudes. The study integrates information on three routes for both “Car and subway P + R” options through a MATIS interface schematic in the form of a smartphone app. This information includes travel time, cost, subway car comfort levels, and parking spaces availability at P + R facilities. A study surveyed 229 respondents in Shanghai, China, regarding their intentions to choose P + R and collected relevant data. Based on the framework of the value-attitude-behavior (VAB) theory, an integrated choice and latent variable (ICLV) model is developed to examine the psychological and informational determinants of P + R choice, treating travel time as a random parameter to capture individual heterogeneity. The results indicate that power and security values are positively linked to comfort and pro-car attitudes, while hedonism values are negatively associated with pro-car attitudes; drivers who prioritize comfort tend to prefer driving on surface streets over elevated freeways or P + R mode, whereas individuals with stronger pro-car attitudes are more likely to choose either P + R or driving on surface streets; significant individual heterogeneity is observed in sensitivity to P + R travel time; the integration of car and P + R travel information through MATIS, particularly information on subway seat availability and parking spaces availability, appears to increase the likelihood of choosing P + R.