How the Risk-Taking Personality Influences Commute Drivers’ Departure Time Choices

This study is an empirical analysis of departure time choice behaviors of commute drivers on the basis of three month (Jul.∼Sep., 2006) data from the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) systems in Tokyo, Japan. Assuming drivers’ risk taking personalities can be represented by their different driving behaviors, through proposing the usage of Travel Speed Standard Scores (TSSS), we firstly categorize the drivers into three groups: Fast Drivers who show a personality to take risk, Slow Drivers who show a personality to avoid risk, and Normal Drivers who are between the Fast and Slow Drivers. A comparison study is then carried on, which shows that the departure time choice behaviors between the Fast and the Slow drivers are significant different from each other. The former tends to depart later and with a smaller deviation. This paper aims helping to clarify the influence of risk taking personalities on transportation choices. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.