Do environmental concerns affect commuting choices?: hybrid choice modelling with household survey data

Abstract

To meet ambitious climate change goals governments must encourage behavioural change alongside technological progress. Designing effective policy requires a thorough understanding of the factors that drive behaviours. In an effort to understand the role of environmental attitudes better we estimate a hybrid choice model (HCM) for commuting mode choice by using a large household survey data set. HCMs combine traditional discrete choice models with a structural equation model to integrate latent variables, such as attitudes, into the choice process. To date HCMs have utilized small bespoke data sets, beset with problems of selection and limited generalizability. To overcome these problems we demonstrate the feasibility of using this valuable modelling approach with nationally representative data. Our results suggest that environmental attitudes have an important influence on commute mode choice, and this can be exploited by governments looking to add to their climate change policy toolbox in an effort to change travel behaviours.