Title: Analysing the heterogeneity of traveller mode choice preference using a random parameter logit model from the perspective of principal-agent theory

Authors: A.H.M. Mehbub Anwar; Kiet Tieu; Peter Gibson; Khin Than Win; Matthew J. Berryman

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia ' Faculty of Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia ' Faculty of Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia ' Faculty of Informatics, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia ' SMART Infrastructure Facility, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia

Abstract: When travellers entrust their desire for a transport mode that is customer-focused (i.e., reliable) to the Transport for NSW (TfNSW), this creates a metaphorical contract between travellers and the TfNSW, known as an agency contract. This contract is often characterised by agency uncertainty because both are most likely to act in their own self-interest. It can be assumed that where there is a high use of public transport, the TfNSW is performing the entrusted tasks as per travellers' demand, which indicates an improvement in agency uncertainty. On the other hand, where there is a high use of private transport, it is likely that the TfNSW is acting largely in its own self-interest, and the agency problem remains unresolved. From the results, it is shown that the probability of car use is significantly higher than public transport, which indicates that an agency problem exists in the traveller-TfNSW relationship. It is recommended that integrating traveller preferences in transport projects would help to resolve this problem.

Keywords: travellers; transport management; latent variables; logit model; agency problem; transport mode choice; traveller preferences; principal agent theory; car use; public transport; private transport.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLSM.2014.061015

International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, 2014 Vol.17 No.4, pp.447 - 471

Published online: 21 Jun 2014 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article