Nonmotorized Commuting Behavior of Middle-Income Working Adults in a Developing Country
Publication: Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 147, Issue 2
Abstract
Although nonmotorized transport (NMT) offers economic, environmental, and health benefits to individuals and communities, understanding nonmotorized travel behavior is a challenging task due to complex interactions of a wide range of factors. While behavioral models offer a conceptual framework to understand human behavior, their use in the study of travel behavior in developing countries is still in its infancy. This study uses three behavioral models—the theory of planned behavior, the theory of triadic influence, and the ecological model of health behavior—to identify potential factors influencing intentions and behavior toward the use of NMT by middle-income working adults, inhabiting the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) area of Bangladesh. A total of 720 middle-income working adults (aged between 18 and 65 years) were randomly selected and interviewed at major commercial and retail business areas of the CCC. Multiple linear and binary logistic models were developed to quantify the extent of the influence of different factors on nonmotorized mode choice behavior. Results indicated that personal factors (proximal) such as attitude, subjective norm, and behavioral control influence respondents’ intentions and motivation in choosing NMT. However, the current use of NMT was less controlled by intention, while factors associated with the social, cultural, and built environment had (distal) significant influence. The findings of this study could assist urban planners in adopting structural and nonstructural measures to promote NMT use.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or codes that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors are pleased to express their gratitude to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) for providing logistic support to carry out this study.
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Journal of Urban Planning and Development
Volume 147 • Issue 2 • June 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
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Received: Jul 21, 2020
Accepted: Dec 1, 2020
Published online: Mar 3, 2021
Published in print: Jun 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Aug 3, 2021
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