Survey data to model time-of-day choice: methodology and findings

Author: Arellana, J., Ortúzar, J. de D. and Rizzi, L.I. (2013)

Journal: In J. Zmud, M.E.H. Lee-Gosselin, M.A. Munizaga and J.A. Carrasco (eds.), Transport Survey Methods: Best Practice for Decision Making. Emerald, Bingley.

Keywords: Time-of-day choice (TOD), revealed preference (RP), stated preference (SP), GPS, survey, travel

Purpose – Departure time choice not only depends on the desire to carry out activities at certain times and places; it is a complex decision making process influenced by travel conditions, congestion levels, activity schedules, and external trip factors. To estimate departure time choice models capturing the factors influencing it in appropriate form, a complex data collection procedure allowing to obtain detailed input data from different sources and at different time periods is required.

The main aim of this chapter is to describe and discuss the survey methodology we used in a time-of-day choice project, involving the collection of revealed preference (RP) and stated preference (SP) data to estimate hybrid discrete departure time choice models incorporating latent variables. Preliminary model results are also presented as an example.