IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/transp/v43y2016i6d10.1007_s11116-016-9718-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analysis of travel activity determinants using robust statistics

Author

Listed:
  • Václav Plevka

    (KU Leuven)

  • Pieter Segaert

    (KU Leuven)

  • Chris M. J. Tampère

    (KU Leuven)

  • Mia Hubert

    (KU Leuven)

Abstract

This study investigates travel behavior determinants based on a multiday travel survey conducted in the region of Ghent, Belgium. Due to the limited data reliability of the data sample and the influence of outliers exerted on classical principal component analysis, robust principal component analysis (ROBPCA) is employed in order to reveal the explanatory variables responsible for most of the variability. Interpretation of the results is eased by utilizing ROSPCA. The application of ROSPCA reveals six distinct principal components where each is determined by a few variables. Among others, our results suggest a key role of variable categories such as journey purpose-related impedance and journey inherent constraints. Surprisingly, the variables associated with journey timing turn out to be less important. Finally, our findings reveal the critical role of outliers in travel behavior analysis. This suggests that a systematic understanding of how outliers contribute to observed mobility behavior patterns, as derived from travel surveys, is needed. In this regard, the proposed methods serve for processing raw data typically used in activity-based modelling.

Suggested Citation

  • Václav Plevka & Pieter Segaert & Chris M. J. Tampère & Mia Hubert, 2016. "Analysis of travel activity determinants using robust statistics," Transportation, Springer, vol. 43(6), pages 979-996, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:transp:v:43:y:2016:i:6:d:10.1007_s11116-016-9718-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s11116-016-9718-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11116-016-9718-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11116-016-9718-2?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Iragaël Joly, 2004. "The link between travel Time Budget and Speed: a Key relationship for urban space-time dynamics," Post-Print halshs-00087451, HAL.
    2. Hubert, Mia & Rousseeuw, Peter & Verdonck, Tim, 2009. "Robust PCA for skewed data and its outlier map," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 53(6), pages 2264-2274, April.
    3. Miguel Picornell & Tomás Ruiz & Maxime Lenormand & José Ramasco & Thibaut Dubernet & Enrique Frías-Martínez, 2015. "Exploring the potential of phone call data to characterize the relationship between social network and travel behavior," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 647-668, July.
    4. Ron Buliung & Tarmo Remmel, 2008. "Open source, spatial analysis, and activity-travel behaviour research: capabilities of the aspace package," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 191-216, June.
    5. Kandt, Jens & Rode, Philipp & Hoffmann, Christian & Graff, Andreas & Smith, Duncan, 2015. "Gauging interventions for sustainable travel: A comparative study of travel attitudes in Berlin and London," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 35-48.
    6. Stigell, Erik & Schantz, Peter, 2011. "Methods for determining route distances in active commuting – Their validity and reproducibility," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 563-574.
    7. Van Acker, Veronique & Witlox, Frank, 2010. "Car ownership as a mediating variable in car travel behaviour research using a structural equation modelling approach to identify its dual relationship," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 65-74.
    8. Brueckner, Jan K., 2011. "Lectures on Urban Economics," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262016362, April.
    9. K W Axhausen, 2008. "Social Networks, Mobility Biographies, and Travel: Survey Challenges," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 35(6), pages 981-996, December.
    10. Hubert, M. & Vandervieren, E., 2008. "An adjusted boxplot for skewed distributions," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 52(12), pages 5186-5201, August.
    11. Croux, Christophe & Ruiz-Gazen, Anne, 2005. "High breakdown estimators for principal components: the projection-pursuit approach revisited," Journal of Multivariate Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 206-226, July.
    12. 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.
    13. Keemin Sohn & Jiyoung Yun, 2009. "Separation of car-dependent commuters from normal-choice riders in mode-choice analysis," Transportation, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 423-436, July.
    14. Anable, Jillian, 2005. "'Complacent Car Addicts' or 'Aspiring Environmentalists'? Identifying travel behaviour segments using attitude theory," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 65-78, January.
    15. Jens Kandt & Philipp Rode & Christian Hoffmann & Andreas Graff & Duncan Smith, 2015. "Gauging interventions for sustainable travel: a comparative study of travel attitudes in Berlin and London," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 63872, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    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. Astegiano, Paola & Akinc, Deniz & Himpe, Willem & Tampère, Chris M.J. & Vandebroek, Martina, 2017. "Quantifying the explanatory power of mobility-related attributes in explaining vehicle ownership decisions," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 2-11.

    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. Sascha von Behren & Lisa Bönisch & Ulrich Niklas & Bastian Chlond, 2020. "Revealing Motives for Car Use in Modern Cities—A Case Study from Berlin and San Francisco," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-18, June.
    2. Feitelson, Eran & Cohen-Blankshtain, Galit, 2018. "Public transport planning in a spatially segmented city: The case of Jerusalem," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 65-74.
    3. Thomas Klinger & Martin Lanzendorf, 2016. "Moving between mobility cultures: what affects the travel behavior of new residents?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 43(2), pages 243-271, March.
    4. Timmer, Sebastian & Merfeld, Katrin & Henkel, Sven, 2023. "Exploring motivations for multimodal commuting: A hierarchical means-end chain analysis," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Geng, Jichao & Long, Ruyin & Chen, Hong, 2016. "Impact of information intervention on travel mode choice of urban residents with different goal frames: A controlled trial in Xuzhou, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 134-147.
    6. Geng, Jichao & Long, Ruyin & Chen, Hong & Li, Wenbo, 2017. "Exploring the motivation-behavior gap in urban residents’ green travel behavior: A theoretical and empirical study," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 282-292.
    7. Jichao Geng & Ruyin Long & Hong Chen & Ting Yue & Wenbo Li & Qianwen Li, 2017. "Exploring Multiple Motivations on Urban Residents’ Travel Mode Choices: An Empirical Study from Jiangsu Province in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-16, January.
    8. Schneider, Robert J., 2013. "Theory of routine mode choice decisions: An operational framework to increase sustainable transportation," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 128-137.
    9. Toşa, Cristian & Sato, Hitomi & Morikawa, Takayuki & Miwa, Tomio, 2018. "Commuting behavior in emerging urban areas: Findings of a revealed-preferences and stated-intentions survey in Cluj-Napoca, Romania," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 78-93.
    10. Hickman, Robin & Chen, Chia-Lin & Chow, Andy & Saxena, Sharad, 2015. "Improving interchanges in China: the experiential phenomenon," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 175-186.
    11. 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.
    12. Haarstad, Håvard & Sareen, Siddharth & Kandt, Jens & Coenen, Lars & Cook, Matthew, 2022. "Beyond automobility? Lock-in of past failures in low-carbon urban mobility innovations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    13. 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.
    14. Davies, Nick, 2012. "What are the ingredients of successful travel behavioural change campaigns?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 19-29.
    15. Vinayak, Pragun & Dias, Felipe F. & Astroza, Sebastian & Bhat, Chandra R. & Pendyala, Ram M. & Garikapati, Venu M., 2018. "Accounting for multi-dimensional dependencies among decision-makers within a generalized model framework: An application to understanding shared mobility service usage levels," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 129-137.
    16. Li, Shengxiao (Alex), 2023. "Revisiting the relationship between information and communication technologies and travel behavior: An investigation of older Americans," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    17. De Vos, Jonas & Derudder, Ben & Van Acker, Veronique & Witlox, Frank, 2012. "Reducing car use: changing attitudes or relocating? The influence of residential dissonance on travel behavior," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 1-9.
    18. Line, Tilly & Chatterjee, Kiron & Lyons, Glenn, 2010. "The travel behaviour intentions of young people in the context of climate change," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 238-246.
    19. Busch-Geertsema, Annika & Lanzendorf, Martin, 2017. "From university to work life – Jumping behind the wheel? Explaining mode change of students making the transition to professional life," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 181-196.
    20. Zhu, Charles & Zhu, Yiliang & Lu, Rongzhu & He, Ren & Xia, Zhaolin, 2012. "Perceptions and aspirations for car ownership among Chinese students attending two universities in the Yangtze Delta, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 315-323.

    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:kap:transp:v:43:y:2016:i:6:d:10.1007_s11116-016-9718-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.