Commitment to Light Rail Transit Patronage: Case Study for St. Louis MetroLink

Abstract

Retaining current light rail transit riders is often neglected relative to attracting new riders. This paper uses multivariate logit analysis to explore differences between riders stating certainty for continued use of the St. Louis MetroLink system versus those that express doubt. Data is derived from a 2005–2006 on-board passenger survey. The results indicate African Americans, young females, riders using stations with higher crime, and riders from households with income of US$25,000–$49,999 are associated with a greater probability of expressing doubt about future patronage, whereas those who access stations with private automobiles or indicate a high level of customer satisfaction are more likely to express certainty about future patronage.