Transport accessibility and affordability as the determinant of non-motorized commuting in rural India

Active modes of travel are effective transportation means for accessibility to opportunity in the less-developed regions. There has been less focus on rural commuting in context to developing nations where there is existing ‘accessibility poverty’ in the regions. Earlier studies focused on India's megaregions as a case study region, but factors like vehicle ownership and ease of travel from home to transport modes and/or transport infrastructures were overlooked. The present study assesses the other side of the Indian regional physiognomies, which is predominantly rural and primarily the source of the labor force and marginal workers for all other regions of India. The present study poses the question, ‘What kind of modal accessibility and transport-related affordability influences the various ranges of commuting distances in the rural settings?’ specifically in the Indian rural context and the non-motorized milieu. Multivariate regression analysis is used to investigate the determinant of the share of commuting on foot and by bicycle as a mode of travel as a dependent variable. The key outcomes from the research are: (i) Bicycle ownership by the household appears as the primary determinant for opting ‘on foot’ or by bicycle mode of travel to work. (ii) Despite the proximity to public transport and paratransit modes, commuters optioned for bicycles. (iii) The presence of a high share of disadvantaged groups in the district leads to ‘on foot’ even for long walking distances. (iv) Transport-related variables as the determinant are critical for short-distance commute, while socio-economic variables are crucial for long-distance commuting.