Behavioral investigation on the factors that determine adoption of an electronic toll collection system: Passenger car users

This paper describes the results of an investigation of the factors that shape the decision by passenger car users of a tolled facility to use an electronic toll collection (ETC) system. The paper is based on revealed data collected in the New York City area, that were analysed with the assistance of discrete choice models. The results provide insight into the nature of the underlying decision making process. A number of results stand out. The first one is that the time saved by using ETC at the toll booths does not play a statistically significant role in the decision to use ETC. This result is conceptually correct because: (1) the time saved at the toll booths when using ETC is a relatively small portion of the total travel time in the hyper-congested network in the New York City area and (2) the actual time saved is curtailed by upstream congestion that makes it difficult for drivers to reach the ETC-only toll booths, and by downstream congestion that frequently prevents driver from crossing the toll booths. The second set of results is related to the perceived financial benefits of using ETC. Two variables were found to play a significant role in increasing ETC use: the toll savings (the difference between cash and ETC tolls), and drivers’ awareness of the toll discounts offered. Other socio-economic attributes have a direct relationship with the likelihood of using ETC: the number of trips made through the facilities, auto ownership, college education, age, and income. The results also indicate significant differences by ethnicity as racial minorities (i.e., African–Americans and Hispanics) are less inclined to use ETC than Caucasians. From the policy standpoint, these results imply that in order to increase ETC use, the difference between cash and ETC tolls should be increased, and accompanied with outreach campaigns to raise awareness of the toll discounts available to ETC users. The underrepresentation of ethnic minorities should also be addressed by implementing specially designed outreach efforts to gain insight into the factors that shape their attitude toward ETC. Taken together, the results in the paper—and in a companion paper that focuses on freight users—provide clear suggestions that could be used to increase ETC use, and enable the transportation system to fully exploit the potential benefits of such an important technology.