A Study of Passenger Mode Choice Behavior of Urban Public Transport System: A Case Study of Nakhon Si Thammarat Municipality

Abstract

This paper describes passenger behavior decision to select public transport system for travel in Nakhon Si Thammarat Municipality. Song-Tail is the only one mode of public transport services in the study area. The purposes of this study were to find the factors effecting preference decision to select choice mode and recommendation to urban public transport system management. The Questionnaires data were analyzed using binary logistic regression modeling. The result of study showed the model fit due to Likelihood Ratio Test showed χ² = 44.536, p-value =.0132 < .05 and r² = .2723. The statistical significance variables that were the factors effecting preference to travel by Song-Tail in Nakhon Si Thammarat Municipality comprised status (X₃), the average household income (X₈), motorcycle ownership per household (X₁₄), no vehicle ownership per household (X₁₇) and total travel cost (X₃₇). Recommendations for public transport management comprise Provincial land transport office should be annual car inspection of Song-Tail and training the drivers for passenger service. Local government should have a clear policy on the development of public transit systems in conjunction with the private sector. Police officers must enforce with the strict law and arrest the Song-Tail’s driver who allow to the passenger stand at the end of car rear. Local government should have more alternative for public transport system services which small bus is the choice mode for the passenger services on the main routes in the city.