Paper by MPC Researchers Suggests Investments in Public Transit Should Continue Despite Availability of Alternatives

Posted: Jun 18, 2020

A recently published study by MPC researchers at North Dakota State University's Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute suggests that large cities should continue to invest in public transit improvements even as ride hailing services proliferate with the potential to attract users away.

"A fuzzy Delphi analytic hierarchy model to rank factors influencing public transit mode choice: A case study," was written by Raj Bridgelall, an assistant professor in the Department of Transportation, Logistics, and Finance, and Sajad Ebrahimi, a graduate research assistant, and published in Research in Transportation Business and Management.

The study applies statistical modeling techniques to identify and rank factors that attract riders to available public transit modes in Tehran, Iran. Top ranked service attributes were safety, reliability, frequency, comfort, travel cost, information provision, and accessibility. Based on these attributes, subway ranked highest in passenger attraction, followed by ride-hailing, bus rapid transit, vans and taxis, then public bus services. Additionally, the modeling techniques provide an approach for researchers to assess public sentiment when there is considerable uncertainty.