Impacts of Residential Self-Selection and Rapid Rail Transit Proximity on Commute Mode Choice: a Study of Taipei Rapid Rail Transit

Within this context, this empirical research explores the impacts of two home- and workplace-location- related variables on traveling by rapid rail transit for work and non-work trips: residential self-selection of living near rapid rail transit stations (residential self-selection for short), as well as residential and workplace proximities to rapid rail transit stations (residential and workplace proximities for short.) Research hypotheses are threefold: first, both residential self-selection and residential and workplace proximities influence workers\' decision on commuting by rapid rail transit.

Second, both residential self-selection and proximities increase workers’ probability of riding rapid rail transit for work. Third, the travel behavior of commuting by rapid rail transit increases the chance of the taking advantage of it for other trip purposes. To conduct this research, Taipei Rapid Transit Cooperation rapid rail transit system was selected to conduct a station-area passenger survey in September 2004, with responses from 558 passengers.