Improvement of first-mile service based on passengers’ choice of travel mode

The first-mile service (FMS) refers to the modal choice for the first part of a commuting journey. A well-designed FMS can provide a seamless travel to access public transport services. This research was driven by the efficiency of different travel modes (e.g. taxi, shared bike, bus) in the FMS. Based on realistic travel experience, an expected utility model for each travel mode was developed. Then, a framework based on evolutionary game theory was designed to deal with the issue of passengers’ dynamic interactions during the FMS. Both infinite- and finite-population scenarios were considered. The simulation results showed that walking is the first choice for passengers in comfortable weather and taking a taxi is the first choice in adverse weather. After the implementation of effective strategies, passengers’ travel efficiency increases simultaneously. As such, effective strategies such as shared electric bikes, customised buses and taxi-sharing behaviour are encouraged in FMS planning.