Abstract :
[en] Previous studies on factors influencing public transport use are mainly focused on car user and conducted in the Western world. In contrast, there are very few studies on modal choice in motorcycle dominant countries like Vietnam. Also, previous studies used different frameworks and models to study commuter mode choice in general and public transport mode choice in particular. Most of these frameworks simply divide boundaries between different levels such as utility function, social–ecological system, socio–demographics and psychology. These frameworks also list objective factors or hard factors (gender, age, ethnicity, gender, age, etc) and subjective factors or psychological factors (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, etc) within each level but rarely provide the interactions among these psychological factors and hard factors. Therefore, there is a need to indicate how the interaction of these factors may change in public transport travel behavior, especially motorcyclists. By understanding these travel behavior, policy makers can enact concordant strategies to increase public transport use, especially in developing countries like Vietnam, a Southeast asian country.
The main goal of this dissertation is the exploration of factors influencing choice behaviors of public transport use, motorcycle use, and modal shift toward public transport. From that, this dissertation develops a model linking objective factors and subjective factors in understanding the public transport behaviour of Vietnamese commuters especially people in Danang, a rapidly urbanizing city in central Vietnam. A quantitative method including exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and structural equation modeling (SEM) will serve as the main methodology for quantifying this interaction. The key factors influencing the shift towards public transport mode choice of Vietnamese commuters in this study can be a good reference for the Vietnamese government and Southeast Asian countries in implementing public transport plans and policies as well as implementing concordant strategies and building up a good public transport service to enhance public transport use.
