Modeling urban transport demand in Singapore.

Abstract

This study analyzes the demand for transportation modes for working trips in Singapore. The mode choice decisions between public and private transport of individuals were modeled using a binomial logit model. It is found that both the choices of driving a car to work and taking public transportation are not sensitive to their respective costs and this could be attributed to the high upfront costs of owning a car in Singapore. Income elasticity is positive for the choice of driving, but is negative for the choice of taking public transport, suggesting that public transport is an inferior good in the economic sense. The value of travel time savings was estimated to be 102.02 % of the wage rate in the sample used for the modeling process. The findings of this project suggest that to reduce traffic congestion, the authorities should not rely solely on road pricing unless a high road price is to be tolerated. Also, to encourage commuters to take public transport to work, public transport would have to be made more competitive with private transport.