Objective determinants of modal choice among university students : a case study of the University of Malta

Abstract

Global car-use trends within developed countries indicate a gradual decline in individual car use among the university student demographic in recent years, yet the University of Malta casestudy context appears to be immune to this effect. With individual car use still as high as 50.3% and soft mode use as low as 2.8% for cycling and 17.2% for walking, Maltese university students appear to be opposing this global trend. This study delves into concepts of student mobility, travel behaviour and modal choice theory in order to investigate the objective determinants of the transport modal choice decision among the student population at the University of Malta. Twenty scoping interviews were carried out and analysed through a deductive approach to content analysis in order to gain a better understanding of the factors influencing the travel behaviour of UM students. Furthermore, the quantitative, statistical analysis of 413 online questionnaires was carried out in order to assess the influence of select objective determinants from literature against the modal choice of UM students. Results from a multinomial logistic regression parsimonious model indicate the following factors (by order of strongest to weakest) to be the most influential determinants influencing the modal choice decision of UM students: walking distance, average travel time, possession of a driving license, access to a bicycle, gender, access to trip information, access to a personal vehicle, age, nationality and possession of ‘Tallinja’ card (subsidised bus pass). Furthermore, when analysed individually, the following determinants were observed to influence the modal choice decision albeit at a lower intensity than the previously mentioned predictors: employment situation, average annual income, outgoing departure time, type of after-university activities during the return journey and the availability of a direct bus route from home. Finally, a number of overarching influences on student modal choice at UM were also identified with the most significant being the influence that living at home has on students’ modal choice.