Tour-based mode choice model development

The 2018-2022 Perth Area Travel and Household Survey (PATHS) provides valuable revealed and stated preference data for estimating a tour-based mode choice model. Compared to a trip-based transport model, a tour-based transport model is behaviourally more realistic and will provide better forecasts to policy or infrastructure initiatives.

Recognising this, the Department of Transport (DoT) of WA has decided to develop and implement a tour-based strategic transport model.

The project aim is to estimate a tour-based mode choice model on the revealed and stated preference data collected by PATHS.

Participants

• Department of Transport (WA)
• Main Roads Western Australia
• University of Western Australia

Project background

The economic contribution of transport infrastructure projects and travel demand management policies are entirely dependent on the demand response induced by the project.

It is expected that strategic transport models can accurately forecast the demand response to government expenditure and policy. The Department of Transport’s existing Strategic Transport Evaluation Model (STEM) is calibrated to outdated data from the 2002-2006 PARTS household travel survey. The existing model is trip-based, which predates the modelling review undertaken by PATREC in 2014 which recommended a tour-based model be implemented to provide a more realistic representation of household travel choices.

There is therefore a pressing need to update the mode choice component using Perth’s most recent household and travel survey. New estimates based on this up-to-date dataset will capture changes in households and offer valuable insights into any changes in travel behaviour and mode choices over time, such as increased flexible and remote working, instigated by COVID-19 and new micromobility modes (aka eRideables).

Use of a tour-based mode choice model with this dataset will enable a richer consideration of travel behaviour patterns. The accuracy and currency of travel behaviour estimation are crucial for establishing the credibility of a transport model.

The use of Stated Preference (SP) survey data is particularly valuable for choice modelling. The SP survey conducted by the State Government for the entire Perth metropolitan area represents a unique and highly useful resource for developing mode choice models.

It is important to undertake this project whilst the SP data is still current, ensuring that the resulting model reflects the most relevant and reliable information about travel behaviour in Perth.

Project objectives

The overall objective of this project is to provide more realistic and improved travel modelling to inform and influence better policy and infrastructure decisions.

The overarching project aim is to estimate a tour-based mode choice model using the revealed preference (RP) and stated preference data collected by the PATHS. In order to achieve this aim, the project will:

1. Profile household travel patterns and identify the common home-based and non-home-based tours undertaken by Perth households.
2. Examine the quality and usability of the SP data, by estimating stand-alone SP choice models and assess the reasonableness of behavioural outputs:

• • Value of travel time savings (in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle)
  • Value of transfers
  • Perception of parking cost compared to perception of expenditure on fuel or fares.

3. Estimate a tour-based mode choice model on RP data, augmented by SP, for a trip within that tour.
4. Evaluate the implementation.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!