Shin-ei Takano

Psychological and Behavioral Effects of Travel Feedback Program for Travel Behavior Modification

The effects of the Travel Feedback Program (TFP) on travel behaviors and psychological factors that may influence automobile use were investigated. TFP was proposed as a method of modifying travel behavior with automobile use into travel behavior without automobile use. In TFP, participants were asked to report their travel activity behavior, after which they received feedback on that behavior, including information about the amount of carbon dioxide emission resulting from the behavior, and comments or suggestions from the program coordinators on how to reduce automobile use. The behavioral and psychological effects produced by TFP were theoretically investigated on the basis of norm activation theory, which describes the psychological process of altruistic behavior proposed in social psychology. From the theory that automobile-use reduction or pro-environmental behavior is influenced by behavioral intention to reduce automobile use, it was hypothesized that behavioral intention is in turn influenced by moral obligation, and moral obligation is in turn influenced by awareness of the negative environmental consequences of automobile use. The psychological and behavioral data confirmed the set of hypotheses of causal relations, and the data indicated that TFP has a significant positive effect on pro-environmental behavior even 1 year after participation in TFP.

Diagnostic Evaluation of Public Transportation Mode Choice in Addis Ababa

The major modes of public transportation in the city of Addis Ababa are buses and taxis. There is no rail transit within the city. Existing public transportation is of a low quality due to the limited number of buses and taxis, poor management, and bad behavior of drivers. Despite these prevailing problems, efforts to make an empirical study of the city’s urban transportation are insignificant. This research aims to develop an ordered logit model to examine citizens’ perceptions of the bus condition, as a determining factor for their choice of bus transportation, and to develop a binary logit model to analyze traveler choice behavior. A diagnostic analysis is undertaken based on the 2 models. The results show that citizens’ perceptions of the 3 chosen bus condition aspects (fare, convenience, and frequency) have a significant influence on public transport mode choice.

Demand Responsive Route Design: GIS Application to Link Downtowns with Expansion Areas

The movement of residential locations to suburban areas to obtain cheaper land results in increasing mobility and infrastructure problems. One of the important infrastructures is transportation, which determines the level of accessibility of people and commodities from one place to another. Therefore, Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures are important in providing an optimal transit route to increase accessibility of public transportations. In the past, several researchers have developed various TDM programs, including public transport improvement as a strategy to encourage a more transit-oriented society. This study attempts to create a methodology of identifying bus links between urban centers and newly developed urban expansion areas using Geographical Information Systems by considering reduction of route overlapping. A TAZ-based analysis is undertaken to identify the demand responsive bus routes, which maximize population coverage, minimize travel time, and reduce duplicating routes.

Analysis of Contribution to SPM by Organic Matters Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Most countries consider it is harmful for humans to inhale SPM of fine organic particles and elemental carbon less than 2.5 ~ in diameter,2). It is generally believed that organic matters in SPM are mainly composed of diesel exhaust particulate and soot from residential chimneys or industrial smokestacks.4). To determine the contribution ratios of several organic substances to SPM, we characterized SPM, diesel exhaust particulate (DEP), powdered summer radial tire, and bitumen, using high performance liquid chromatography, field desorption mass spectrometry and linear theory.

An Impact Assessment and Its Management on Construction Industry due to Reduction of Public Investment

In this study we develop the evaluation method of social economic influences due to reduction of public investment. First of all the influences of reduction in all industrial sector were calculated by means of I-O analysis in Hokkaido. The simulation of possible measures to cover the reduction in terms of whole economics of Hokkaido. Moreover, we make sure the effects due to several improvements of construction industry. As a result. 1) the reduction of public investment makes a large influence to Hokkaido economics, 2) it is difficult for Hokkaido economics to improve its state for itself. and 3) we should consider the strategy of construction industry. Several strategies are simulated and some of them contribute to the prevention of reduction of public investment effectively.

A Study on the Evaluation of Transportation Planning for a Fixed Guide-way System using Orthogonal Multi-attribute Utility Function

Current transportation conditions of greater Sapporos northern area were analyzed by mode. Using an orthogonal multi-attribute utility function based on user preference, we evaluated some typical plans for a new fixed guide-way system. Our analysis showed that access by bus is effective and indispensable measures as the terminal mode.