Differences between the Perceptions of Captive and Choice Riders toward Bus Service Attributes and the Need for Segmentation of Bus Services in Urban India

Abstract

An investigation is carried out on the perceptions of captive (i.e., those who do not have a car) and choice riders (i.e., those who have car) toward bus service attributes in the Kolkata metro city in India. The perceptions toward various attributes are captured in terms of willingness to pay (WTP). A stated choice experiment is designed, and the data collected from trip makers are analyzed by developing a random parameter logit model. The study clearly indicates that captive and choice riders are distinctly different groups in terms of their WTP for bus service attributes. For almost all attributes, the WTPs of choice riders are significantly higher than those of captive riders. It may be concluded from the study that the present bus service, even with a higher number of buses (which will improve the frequency), is unlikely to be instrumental in arresting the shift of choice riders to private vehicles. Rather, it is necessary to improve the in-vehicle travel time, improve the quality of buses, and make real-time traffic information available on board and at bus stops to make the bus service an attractive alternative to choice riders. The study also highlights the need for a distinct segmentation of bus service in urban India to make bus service an attractive alternative to choice riders without imposing additional financial burden on the economically weaker section (in terms of increase in fare) and the government (in terms of increase in the subsidy).