Unraveling the Influence of Perceived Built Environment on Commute Mode Choice Based on Hybrid Choice Model

Abstract

To address the limitations of existing studies on the built environment and commute mode choice, which primarily focus on the objective and residential built environment, this study investigates how commuters’ perceptions of the built environment at their residences and workplaces influence their choice of commuting mode. First, six latent variables are proposed to characterize the perceived built environment. Then, commuters’ socio-economic and commuting characteristics are treated as exogenous variables. Subsequently, the influence of the perceived built environment on commute mode choice is analyzed using both a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model without latent variables and a Hybrid Choice Model (HCM) incorporating variables related to the perceived built environment. Finally, a case study conducted in Shanghai reveals that the goodness-of-fit value of the HCM improves by approximately 27.4% compared to that of the MNL, indicating that the perceived built environment plays a significant role in explaining commute mode choice. Furthermore, commuters’ socio-economic profiles, commuting characteristics, and perceptions of the built environment all significantly influence their commute mode choices. The perceived built environment at residences has a stronger impact on commute mode choice than that at workplaces. Among the various commute modes of driving, cycling, walking, and public transit, the perceived built environment most significantly influences public transit usage. Based on these findings, several policy implications are offered, providing decision-making support for urban planning and traffic management authorities.