Pathways to Alternative Transport Mode Choices among University Students and Staff—Commuting to the University of Maribor since 2010

Abstract

The study of commuting behavior at the University of Maribor (UM) was the subject of our research, which focused on the building complex of the four technical faculties (BCTF) and was based on the analysis of two questionnaire surveys (with 1057 and 462 respondents, respectively) and the transport policies implemented at the study site from 2010 to 2020. The research aimed to identify the factors influencing student and staff mode choice/shift over a decade period and to understand the weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities for improving sustainable mobility at the university. Since 2010, active commuting has predominated among students, while car use has decreased by 22%. Female students were 16% more likely to walk than their peers, while male students were 5% and 12% more likely to use bicycles and cars, respectively. Active commuting and car use by staff have not changed since 2010, and there was an insignificant difference between genders, 63% of whom used cars. Mode shifts were primarily related to trip origins, subsidization of bus use, availability or unavailability of free parking, and parking fees. Questionnaire responses were a powerful tool for finding the most effective interventions to manage transport at universities. The results also suggest that transport policies can be more effective if they are planned in coordination with housing policies.

Suggestions and Solutions for Enhancing Active Commuting to the University of Maribor and Advancing CO2 Emission Reduction

“…A shift from car use to city and regional PPT was observed among students. These findings confirm those of previous research indicating that a combination of policies that encourage PPT use and discourage parking are effective in facilitating a shift in transport mode [2,7,18,[48][49][50][51]. However, it is noteworthy that 46% of students and as many as 49.2%-75.4% of staff continue to use cars (their own and shared) for commutes within the 1-5 km range, where walking and cycling would be more suitable.…”

“…The results of previous studies underlined the important role of university parking management in influencing private car commuting (Section 1). A substantial 86% of staff can park in BCTF parking lots, resulting in a high percentage of car commuters [48]. Consequently, staff interest in using PPT was low.…”

An Integrated Ordered Probit Model for Evaluating University Commuters’ Satisfaction with Public Transport

“…This suggests that transport providers should continue to focus on maintaining affordable passenger costs, particularly regarding discounts for university students and elderly passengers. In line with a further study in the literature, the provision of PT subsidization or any discounts on costs are the key drivers of mode switches towards sustainable transport, particularly for university students [38]. Meanwhile, other studies have found that trip time is the most influential factor in university commuters' mode choices [34,36].…”

“…Therefore, the development of specific transport demand management (TDM) policies is necessary to meet the needs of commuters while also enhancing the economic and environmental viability of the PT system [36,37]; for instance, to meet the travel satisfaction needs of users with different daily travel patterns [35]. The literature also confirms that college students are not only likely to play important roles in society in the future but also have the potential to influence policymakers to create sustainable transport infrastructure [31,38,39]. Mobility Managers (MM) have made efforts to increase the awareness of PT options among employees who commute privately due to the increased interest in promoting sustainable options.…”

Commuting to University: Self-Reported and Device-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour

“…Following the methodological issue regarding commuting behaviour variables based on self-reported questions [7] is a possible alternative in the absence of device measures, and it has been studied as a powerful tool for managing transport in universities as well as possible effective interventions [40]. With only two self-reported questions, it is possible to estimate a quantitative measure that allows researchers to use a more sensitive variable to improve the statistical power and have more accurate results.…”