Multitasking during Travel in Mumbai, India: Effect of Satiation in Heterogeneous Urban Settings

Abstract

Multitasking is an essential aspect of an individual’s overall activity participation and time allocation behavior, and travel is one of the few activities which provides the scope for natural multitasking. This study (1) analyzed the effect of parameters on multitasking choice which reflect the heterogeneity of urban settings in a developing country scenario, and (2) evaluated the existence of satiation and estimated it for different multitasking activities. A travel diary survey was conducted of 1,123 individuals residing in both formal and informal housing across the city of Mumbai, capturing information on their multitasking during travel behavior. A multiple discrete-continuous extreme value model was formulated testing the effect of parameters and estimating satiation in alternatives. Findings suggest that travel characteristics, individual and household socioeconomic characteristics, and access to information and communication technology (ICT) are important indicators affecting multitasking during travel. In addition, along with access to ICT, certain other socioeconomic characteristics such as gender, occupation type, and poor living conditions affected the participation in ICT-based multitasking activities, indicating the linkages between digital and social divide. Findings on satiation showed a glaring mismatch between participation and preference. Although the participation and time allocation in doing no activity were the highest, the levels of satiation were observed to be lower for sleeping/snoozing/resting activities and most ICT-based multitasking alternatives. This indicated that if a suitable setting is provided, individuals prefer to participate in other activities rather than no activity.