Stated preference analysis of bus service attribustes in Phnom Penh

Abstract

Current transportation system in Phnom Penh indicates a lack of proper public transportation. With high number of motorcycles, traffic congestion within the city is getting worse. In addition, a formal public transport such as a bus service is not yet available in the city, although it can be considered a sustainable transportation mode and could potentially reduce the traffic congestion in the city. In order to introduce an efficient bus service, passengers’ attitude towards bus service attributes is one of the main issues. In this study, a methodology was developed to elucidate the commuters’ attitude towards the bus service in Phnom Penh via stated preference analysis. A survey was conducted to collect current travel information and decision behaviors of respondents regarding bus patronage considering several bus service attributes, namely bus fare, bus headway, walking time and bus comfort. A utility model was developed using conditional logistic regression and the passengers’ trade-offs between each attribute were analyzed. As a result, it was found that two attributes, i.e. bus comfort and fare were among the most significant attributes for commuters in Phnom Penh. The findings of this research are expected to further the understanding of passengers’ viewpoint on basic attributes of the bus service and the results can be used as a fundament in a strategic planning for establishing the bus service in the city of Phnom Penh.