SWITCHING TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Abstract

Market research shows that 35 percent of the Adelaide population are non-users of public transport. Based on longitudinal studies carried out in Germany, the Passenger Transport Board initiated a 12 month Switching to Public Transport Project (1996/97) to determine successful stimuli to convert non-users into users of public transport, and to assess the characteristics of those who will make a sustained switch. Direct marketing efforts can be employed based on these findings, and increased proficiency from experience will make for greater cost-effectiveness to improve patronage through gaining market share from non-users trips taken by private vehicles. The participants selected were non-users, adults, sufficiently mobile and using other modes of transport to get to destinations serviced by public transport. The participants were provided with free public transport trips for three and one-half months, 50 percent of a frequent user's public transport trips for the following month, 25 percent the subsequent month, and were left to buy tickets the succeeding month. Monthly their public transport use, modes, the purpose of their trips, day of week/time of day, and satisfaction were recorded. After a further six months elapsed, participants were contacted again to ascertain their use of, and views on, public transport. The purpose of the paper is to report the lessons learnt from the project's findings on the priority features of a public transport system to enable new customers to feel comfortable to try and come to use public transport in their routine travel habits. As a very successful project, the paper will inform what effective stimuli were utilised in this project methodology in the Australian cultural context to cause participants to sample public transport services (91 percent effective) and to maintain active participation in the project (only 12 percent attrition rate at month 7). (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see IRRD abstract no. E200069.

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