Changing commuters’ behavior using rewards: A study of rush-hour avoidance

In a 13-week field study conducted in The Netherlands, participants were provided with daily rewards – monetary and in-kind, in order to encourage them to avoid driving during the morning rush-hour. Participants could earn a reward (money or credits to keep a Smartphone handset), by driving to work earlier or later, by switching to another mode or by teleworking. The collected data, complemented with pre and post measurement surveys, were analyzed using longitudinal techniques and mixed logistic regression. The results assert that the reward is the main extrinsic motivation for discouraging rush-hour driving. The monetary reward exhibits diminishing sensitivity, whereas the Smartphone has endowment qualities. Although the reward influences the motivation to avoid the rush-hour, the choice how to change behavior is influenced by additional factors including education, scheduling, habitual behavior, attitudes, and travel information availability.

► Changing travel behavior using rewards is quite novel compared to punishment and enforcement.
► The effects of rewards (monetary and in-kind) were tested in a longitudinal field study.
► Daily rewards were provided for avoiding the morning rush-hour.
► Rush-hour driving decreased and driving at other times and travel by other modes increased.
► Commuter choice is mediated by other factors including personal and situational factors.