Driving out of choices: An investigation of transport modality in a university sample

• Transportation modality of respondents to a university travel survey is analyzed.
• Modality is defined as the number of self-reported modes that travelers perceive as available/feasible.
• Modality is influenced by individual demographic and attitudinal variables, mode used, and contextual variables.
• Active travelers tend to report higher modality levels.
• Land use variables and distance to campus affect the modality of users of motorized modes.

Transportation systems around the world have been designed in a way that emphasizes the pre-eminence of motorized mobility, in particular the private car. This has led to the emergence of transportation monocultures, defined as systems where the ability of travelers to use various modes is constrained. In order to create transportation polycultures, alternative modes of transportation must be available and users must perceive them as feasible alternatives to the car. This implies changing the modality style (a predisposition towards certain modes) and increasing the modality (number of alternatives available and feasible for use) of travelers. The objective of this paper is to investigate the modality of respondents to a travel survey in McMaster University, Canada. We define modality as the self-reported number of modes that respondents consider available/feasible for their daily commute, including the chosen mode. Analysis is based on the application of an ordered probit model. The results of our study indicate that modality is influenced by a combination of demographic, attitudinal and spatial/land use variables. With respect to mode of travel, active travelers tend to have a higher modality compared to users of motorized modes. Car users who live in more densely built environments are more likely to report higher levels of modality, whereas density reduces the modality of users of local transit. Distance from McMaster reduces the modality of car and local transit users.