Sustainable Transit Mode Choices in Urban Areas: Psychological Insights on the Adoption and Selection Processes

In urban transportation studies transit mode choice is often expressed in terms of rational choice models; psychological case studies of transit mode adoption are comparatively rare. We present a progress report for ongoing research on the psychology of adoption for sustainable transit modes such as bicycles, car sharing, and mass transit. Case studies were conducted with current and former participants in PSU´s ´Passport Plus´ transit pass program, as well as a longitudinal cohort study of first-time winter bicycle commuters. Composite sequence analysis was used to construct a model of the adoption and selection processes for these transit modes. Preliminary findings suggest that transit mode adoption is cognitively distinct from transit mode selection and has different information requirements. We conclude that public and private organizations could improve the adoption rate for sustainable transit mode innovations such as Flexcar by tailoring their communication strategies to match the commuter´s stage of adoption.