Analysis of Factors Affecting Walking Speed Based on Natural Field Data: Considering the Attributes of Travelers and the Travel Environment

Abstract

In Mobility as a Service (MaaS), walking plays a crucial role in connecting various modes of transportation. In order to provide more accurate predictions of walking travel time, a comprehensive and in-depth study is required to examine the factors that influence walking speed. Many existing studies focus on exploring various factors affecting walking speed, but there is limited research on further investigating the magnitude of their impact and the reasons for differences among different pedestrians. This study examines the relationship between personal characteristics and the degree of influence of environmental factors on walking speed. We recruited 31 volunteers and investigated their traveler characteristics such as height, weight, and age, as well as environmental factors such as weather conditions, ground conditions, and sidewalk Level of Service (LOS). Descriptive statistics were performed on walking speed, revealing the influence of these factors. For example, the speed of females is 89% of that of males. When in a hurry, the speed increases by 17%, while on uneven roads, the speed decreases by 11%. We then proposed the influence coefficient f to represent the degree of influence and analyzed its correlation with personal characteristics. We discovered some strong correlations. For instance, the greater the body weight, the more significant the reduction in walking speed due to precipitous weather or uneven roads. Similarly, the taller the person, the greater the increase in walking speed under the influence of a rushed situation. Finally, we constructed a series of regression models for “f” and a speed estimation model. Our findings provide support for predicting personalized speeds in various scenarios, based solely on the traveler’s personal characteristics and speeds in controlled group scenarios in the travel service system, and contribute to the study and development of MaaS in terms of travel time prediction, travel route planning, and personalized services.