Travel Behaviour and Value of Travel Time for Inter-City Bus Passengers in Bangladesh

Abstract

The concept of value of travel time (VTT) is the most important parameter for transportation demand forecasting, cost-benefit analysis of transportation investments, and feasibility analysis of transport projects. The VTT is an essential concept in transport economics. The aims of this research are to find out the socio-economic status, travel behavior of the inter-city bus passengers, to establish the value of travel time model and estimate the value of travel time in monetary terms of the inter-city bus passengers. In this study, about 1000 (One thousand) questionnaires were distributed to the AC and Non AC intercity bus passengers in order to collect the necessary data. Based on the collected data, analysis, findings, conclusion and recommendation are provided by using the Logit model technique. The frequency of male and female passengers was 76.2% and 23.8%, respectively. The low frequency of female passengers may be due to their exposure and disagree to be interviewed. The age group 31-40 years contains the highest frequency of intercity bus passengers. Around 95% of the passengers' ages were below 50 years. The age group 3140 years contains the highest frequencies for male, 29.37% and age group 21-30 years contains the highest frequencies for female, 10.32%. The passengers in service represent the highest proportion (44.60%) of inter-city bus passengers. Business and student's represent 25.80% and 15.70% of the inter-city passengers, respectively. These three groups of occupation reported 86.10% of the total inter-city bus passengers. The highest percentage (33.50%) of income group was BDT 10001-20000, and it was followed by 23.60% of income group of BDT2000I-35000, 23.20% of income group of no income, and 12.10% of income group of BDT5001-10000. The average monthly income of all bus passengers was BDT 14450. The average monthly income of AC and Non-AC bus passengers were BDT16458 and BDT 12412, respectively. The distribution of passengers by monthly travel expense for both male and female were 54.9% and 19.4%, respectively, which laid in less than 10% group. The average monthly travel expense of V -.7 inter-city bus passengers was BDTl232. The average working days per week of inter-city bus passengers were 4.31. The distributions of passengers by number of working days were 33.13%, 3 1.75%, and 12.32% per week for 5 days, 6 days, and 7 days, respectively. The distribution of passengers by number of working hours per day were 45.83% had working hours of 8 and it is followed by zero hours (24.40%), less than 8 hours (6.16%), 9 hours (10.12%), 10 hours (11.90%), 11 hours (0.79%) and 12 hours (0.79%) respectively. The highest frequency of passengers (38.29%) had a family size of five members and it is followed by family size of four members (27.58%) and six members (17.06%). The average family size of inter-city bus passengers was 5. The distribution of AC and NonAC bus passengers was 7.1% and 92.9%, respectively. The distribution of passengers for family trip, work trip, social trip, medical trip, recreation trip and others was 37.30%, 35.52%,

11.71%, 7.5 1%, 5.16%,

and 2.78%, respectively. The majority of the inter-city bus passengers paid the fare by themselves. The main reasons for choice of current route due to less time and more comfortable. Most of the passengers (56%) mentioned that the service quality of intercity buses were good. The upper and lower limit of Value of Travel Time per hour was BDT 127.87, BDT 106.25, respectively. The value of travel time per hour of service, business, student and others occupation was BDT 107.66, BDT 102.00, BDT 75.50, and BDTI 13.25, respectively. The actual values of travel time can be used in different perspectives of applications. The findings of this study may be useful in the sector of transport economics.