IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jotrge/v36y2014icp24-31.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

On user perception of private transport in Barcelona Metropolitan area: an experience in an academic suburban space

Author

Listed:
  • Miralles-Guasch, Carme
  • Martínez Melo, Montserrat
  • Marquet Sarda, Oriol

Abstract

The negative externalities of the massive use of private transport have been widely studied and verified by the scientific community. However, the use of the automobile is still widely accepted and even vindicated among a high number of citizens. Solving this social dilemma requires analysing the reasons behind private transport use along with the perceptions of its users. This paper examines the individual motivations for using private transport to reach the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB); a single suburban node inside Barcelona’s Metropolitan Region. We used data gathered by the Mobility Survey of the UAB to measure the use of private transport and to select a group with homogeneous characteristics for which we could perform qualitative analysis based on in-depth interviews. The analysis was focused on university staff (teaching, researchers and administrative) the university group which is using the private transport the most. Qualitative methodology identified three main stages of travel by private car upon which interviewees projected their perceptions. A strong link between car commuting and social status was revealed but unlike other studies, on this case users were compelled to use private transport because of their social standing, and not as a way to progress. Finally, time travel and convenience were also found significant but always in relation with social position.

Suggested Citation

  • Miralles-Guasch, Carme & Martínez Melo, Montserrat & Marquet Sarda, Oriol, 2014. "On user perception of private transport in Barcelona Metropolitan area: an experience in an academic suburban space," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 24-31.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:36:y:2014:i:c:p:24-31
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2014.02.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692314000337
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2014.02.009?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Scheiner, Joachim, 2010. "Social inequalities in travel behaviour: trip distances in the context of residential self-selection and lifestyles," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(6), pages 679-690.
    2. Beirão, Gabriela & Sarsfield Cabral, J.A., 2007. "Understanding attitudes towards public transport and private car: A qualitative study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(6), pages 478-489, November.
    3. Banister, David, 2011. "Cities, mobility and climate change," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1538-1546.
    4. Van Exel, N.J.A. & Rietveld, P., 2009. "Could you also have made this trip by another mode? An investigation of perceived travel possibilities of car and train travellers on the main travel corridors to the city of Amsterdam, The Netherland," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 43(4), pages 374-385, May.
    5. Steg, Linda, 2005. "Car use: lust and must. Instrumental, symbolic and affective motives for car use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 39(2-3), pages 147-162.
    6. Mokhtarian, P.L., 2005. "Travel as a desired end, not just a means," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 39(2-3), pages 93-96.
    7. Tertoolen, Gerard & van Kreveld, Dik & Verstraten, Ben, 1998. "Psychological resistance against attempts to reduce private car use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 171-181, April.
    8. Miralles-Guasch, Carme & Domene, Elena, 2010. "Sustainable transport challenges in a suburban university: The case of the Autonomous University of Barcelona," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 454-463, November.
    9. Delbosc, Alexa & Currie, Graham, 2011. "The spatial context of transport disadvantage, social exclusion and well-being," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 1130-1137.
    10. Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Chen, Cynthia, 2004. "TTB or not TTB, that is the question: a review and analysis of the empirical literature on travel time (and money) budgets," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 38(9-10), pages 643-675.
    11. Ivan Muñiz & Miquel Àngel Garcia-López & Anna Galindo, 2008. "The Effect of Employment Sub-centres on Population Density in Barcelona," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(3), pages 627-649, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Julio A. Soria-Lara & Luca Bertolini & Marco Te Brömmelstroet, 2017. "Towards a more effective EIA in transport planning: a literature review to derive interventions and mechanisms to improve knowledge integration," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(5), pages 755-772, May.
    2. Karzan Ismael & Szabolcs Duleba, 2021. "Investigation of the Relationship between the Perceived Public Transport Service Quality and Satisfaction: A PLS-SEM Technique," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-20, November.
    3. Moody, Joanna & Zhao, Jinhua, 2019. "Car pride and its bidirectional relations with car ownership: Case studies in New York City and Houston," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 334-353.
    4. Ieva Meidute-Kavaliauskiene & Bülent Yıldız & Şemsettin Çiğdem & Renata Činčikaitė, 2021. "Do People Prefer Cars That People Don’t Drive? A Survey Study on Autonomous Vehicles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Rotaris, Lucia & Danielis, Romeo, 2015. "Commuting to college: The effectiveness and social efficiency of transportation demand management policies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 158-168.
    6. Branka Trček & Beno Mesarec, 2022. "Pathways to Alternative Transport Mode Choices among University Students and Staff—Commuting to the University of Maribor since 2010," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-19, September.
    7. Delclòs-Alió, Xavier & Miralles-Guasch, Carme, 2017. "Suburban travelers pressed for time: Exploring the temporal implications of metropolitan commuting in Barcelona," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 165-174.
    8. Marquet, Oriol & Miralles-Guasch, Carme, 2016. "City of Motorcycles. On how objective and subjective factors are behind the rise of two-wheeled mobility in Barcelona," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 37-45.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vale, David S., 2013. "Does commuting time tolerance impede sustainable urban mobility? Analysing the impacts on commuting behaviour as a result of workplace relocation to a mixed-use centre in Lisbon," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 38-48.
    2. Tiago Camacho & Marcus Foth & Andry Rakotonirainy & Markus Rittenbruch & Jonathan Bunker, 2016. "The role of passenger-centric innovation in the future of public transport," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 8(3), pages 453-475, December.
    3. Quaglione, Davide & Cassetta, Ernesto & Crociata, Alessandro & Marra, Alessandro & Sarra, Alessandro, 2019. "An assessment of the role of cultural capital on sustainable mobility behaviours: Conceptual framework and empirical evidence," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 24-34.
    4. Clauss, Thomas & Döppe, Sebastian, 2016. "Why do urban travelers select multimodal travel options: A repertory grid analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 93-116.
    5. Sultana, Selima, 2015. "Factors associated with students' parking-pass purchase decisions: Evidence from an American University," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 65-75.
    6. Mehrdad Bagheri & Miloš N. Mladenović & Iisakki Kosonen & Jukka K. Nurminen, 2020. "Analysis of Potential Shift to Low-Carbon Urban Travel Modes: A Computational Framework Based on High-Resolution Smartphone Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-26, July.
    7. Marquet, Oriol & Miralles-Guasch, Carme, 2016. "City of Motorcycles. On how objective and subjective factors are behind the rise of two-wheeled mobility in Barcelona," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 37-45.
    8. Gadziński, Jędrzej & Radzimski, Adam, 2016. "The first rapid tram line in Poland: How has it affected travel behaviours, housing choices and satisfaction, and apartment prices?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 451-463.
    9. Gustav Bösehans & Ian Walker, 2020. "Do supra-modal traveller types exist? A travel behaviour market segmentation using Goal framing theory," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(1), pages 243-273, February.
    10. Kopnina, Helen, 2011. "Kids and cars: Environmental attitudes in children," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 573-578, August.
    11. Dacko, Scott G. & Spalteholz, Carolin, 2014. "Upgrading the city: Enabling intermodal travel behaviour," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 222-235.
    12. Jaroslav Burian & Lenka Zajíčková & Igor Ivan & Karel Macků, 2018. "Attitudes and Motivation to Use Public or Individual Transport: A Case Study of Two Middle-Sized Cities," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-25, May.
    13. Buys, Laurie & Miller, Evonne, 2011. "Conceptualising convenience: Transportation practices and perceptions of inner-urban high density residents in Brisbane, Australia," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 289-297, January.
    14. Nielsen, Jesper Riber & Hovmøller, Harald & Blyth, Pascale-L. & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2015. "Of “white crows” and “cash savers:” A qualitative study of travel behavior and perceptions of ridesharing in Denmark," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 113-123.
    15. Marco Diana & Patricia Mokhtarian, 2009. "Grouping travelers on the basis of their different car and transit levels of use," Transportation, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 455-467, July.
    16. Xiao Han & Yun Yu & Bin Jia & Zi‐You Gao & Rui Jiang & H. Michael Zhang, 2021. "Coordination Behavior in Mode Choice: Laboratory Study of Equilibrium Transformation and Selection," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 30(10), pages 3635-3656, October.
    17. Zinette Bergman, 2019. "Trains in the Land of the Car: A Case Study of Mobility as Agency in the United States," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-12, November.
    18. Lavery, T.A. & Páez, A. & Kanaroglou, P.S., 2013. "Driving out of choices: An investigation of transport modality in a university sample," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 37-46.
    19. Kent, Jennifer L., 2014. "Driving to save time or saving time to drive? The enduring appeal of the private car," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 103-115.
    20. Scheiner, Joachim, 2018. "Transport costs seen through the lens of residential self-selection and mobility biographies," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 126-136.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jotrge:v:36:y:2014:i:c:p:24-31. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-transport-geography .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.