LOGIT MODEL INTERPRETATION OF TRAVEL MODAL CHOICE/ MODAL SPLIT IN AIZAWL CITY

The subject matter of this study pertains to the population of Aizawl city, Mizoram. The data is based on the usage of public or private transportation by individuals irrespective of their ownership of private vehicles. The sample includes respondents who are teachers,high-school and college teachers taken separately, of all age groups, different educational backgrounds, as also different income levels who are mobile, belonging to Aizawl city and around.The study examines only the demand side factors influencing travel decisions. The supply side aspects, relating to public transports are taken as given. A study of this kind is beneficial to many parties like the government in its policy implication and also to the private entities as it is directed towards reduced travel expense. Insight of the mechanisms of the travel decision process will benefit governments to formulate policies that better address consumers needs in transport. The study will also enable public transport managers to understand their consumers needs preference and psyche. Furthermore, since no study of this nature has been conducted for the city of Aizawl, the present study will contribute to the birth of a recorded empirical work. It will also lead to further, deeper, more significant research in the area.This study attempts to contribute to the understanding of how local public transport demand is affected by different factors. The focus of this study is to examine the cause of preference of public transportation over private or vice versa by passengers. Considering the increased use of public transportation by individuals and especially by those who also own private vehicles, it is important to understand what causes this preference of one means over the other and the personal benefits involved with it. Careful analysis also shows that the respondents prefer private transportation to public. The logit model shows that of the variables affecting transport mode choice by individual among high school teachers that is most significant is accessibility and flexibility of the private transportation. Also the variables affecting transport mode choice by individual among college teachers that is most significant is time issues secondly, accessibility and flexibility of the private transportation which was also observed in the preceding sections of the chapter The small sample size, with little variability across the quantitative variables could be the reason of the low significance, yet high odd ratios.