Transport user needs and marketing public transport

A better understanding of how public transport can be rendered more attractive to motorists is needed. This paper presents findings from recent studies of the psychological dimensions underlying respondent ratings of car and public transport use. Automobile users obtain autonomy as well as mobility from driving. There are two aspects to this autonomy—a sense of personal identity and a sense of independence—with feelings of control, confidence and safety a core component of both. Analysis of ratings of ten features of bus and rail services showed, for both modes, two underlying dimensions of judgement, service availability and service attractiveness. Analysis of 16 aspects of interchanging bus and rail journeys found separate factors representing psychological needs (saving effort), journey needs (saving time) and cost considerations (saving money). All journeys require expenditure of physical, cognitive and emotional effort. Current car commuters see a public transport alternative involving interchange as requiring unwelcome additional expenditure of physical and emotional resource. Analysis of bus and train traveller ratings of 16 journey demands found separate factors for in-trip anxieties, personal vulnerability concerns, in-trip and pre-trip information load. Focusing on these sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction should assist those marketing public transport alternatives to car use.