Synchronicity of Activity Engagement and Travel in Time and Space: Descriptors and Correlates of Field Observations
Abstract
This paper reports some main findings of a study that was conducted to understand individuals’ use of time better for travel, in particular on public transport. Based on methodological considerations, field observations were used to collect the relevant information. Results of various multivariate analyses indicate that time allocation to various activities, including sleeping, while traveling on public transport (specifically, San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transport System in California) primarily depends on sociodemographics such as gender, age, travel party, and race. However, results also indicate effects of contextual variables such as travel duration and time of day, which are particularly relevant for discriminating between different segments of activities while traveling. It is argued that a better understanding of time allocation during travel and the related concept of multitasking is crucial for better estimates of the value of time savings. These enhanced understandings should contribute to several discussions on time use in society and ultimately be used to develop dynamic activity-based travel demand models.
Get full access to this article
View all access and purchase options for this article.
References
1. Mokhtarian P. L., and Salomon I. How Derived is the Demand for Travel? Some Conceptual and Measurement Considerations. Transportation Research A, Vol. 35, 2001, pp. 695–719.
2. Arentze T. A., and Timmermans H. J. P. Information Gain, Novelty Seeking, and Travel: A Model of Dynamic Activity-Travel Behavior Under Conditions of Uncertainty. Transportation Research Part A, Vol. 39, 2005, pp. 125–145.
3. Mokhtarian P. L., Salomon I., and Redmond L. S. Understanding the Demand for Travel: It's not Purely “Derived.’' Innovation, Vol. 14, 2001, pp. 355–380.
4. Ory D. T., and Mokhtarian P. L. When is Getting There Half the Fun? Modeling the Liking for Travel. Transportation Research A, Vol. 39, 2005, pp. 97–123.
5. Handy S., Weston L., and Mokhtarian P. L. Driving by Choice or Necessity. Transportation Research A, Vol. 39, 2005, pp. 183–203.
6. Brown B., Green N., and Harper R. (eds.)). Wireless World. Springer, London, 2001.
7. Peters S. Information Mobility: The Behavioural Technoscape. Proc., Alternative Mobility Futures Conference, Lancaster, United Kingdom, 2004.
8. Lyons G., and Urry J. Travel Time Use in the Information Age. Transportation Research A, Vol. 39, 2005, pp. 257–276.
9. Mokhtarian P. L., Salomon I., and Handy S. L. The Impacts of ICT on Leisure Activities and Travel: A Conceptual Exploration. Transportation, Vol. 33, 2006, pp. 263–289.
10. Hensher D. A. Value of Business Travel Time. Pergamon Press, Oxford, United Kingdom, 1977.
11. Hensher D. A. Behavioural and Resource Values of Travel Time Savings: A Bicentennial Update. Australian Road Research, Vol. 19, 1989, pp. 223–229.
12. Fowkes A. S., Marks P., and Nash C. A. The Value of Business Travel Time Savings. Working Paper 214. Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, United Kingdom, 1986.
13. Fowkes A. S. Principles of Valuing Business Travel Time Savings. Working Paper 562. Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, United Kingdom, 2001.
14. Ettema D. F., and Verschuren L. The Effect of Multi-Tasking on the Value of Travel Time Savings. Presented at 86th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2007.
15. Kirby H. R., Smith A. W., and Carreno M. Useful Activity While Travelling Adds Value. Proc., 11th WCTR Conference, Berkeley, Calif., 2007.
16. Laurier E., and Philo C. “Meet You at Junction 17”: A Socio-Technical and Spatial Study of the Mobile Office. ESRC Award Final Report. 2001. www.geog.gla.ac.uk.
17. Lyons G., Jain J., and Holley D. The Use of Travel Time By Rail Passengers in Great Britain. Transportation Research A, Vol. 41, 2006, pp. 107–120.
18. Kenyon S., and Lyons G. Introducing Multitasking to the Study of Travel and ICT: Examining its Extent and Assessing its Potential Importance. Transportation Research A, Vol. 41, 2006, pp. 161–175.
19. Kitterod R. H. Does the Recording of Parallel Activities in Time Use Diaries Affect the Way People Report Their Main Activities? Social Indicators Research, Vol. 56, 2001, pp. 145–178.
20. Meyer D. E., Evans J. E., and Rubinstein J. S. Executive Control of Cognitive Processes in Task Switching. Journal of Experimental Psychology—Human Perception and Performance, Vol. 27, 2001, pp. 763–797.
21. Arentze T. A., and Timmermans H. J. P. A New Theory of Dynamic Activity Generation. Presented at 85th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2006.
22. Habib K. M. N., and Miller E. J. Modelling Daily Activity Program Generation Considering Within-Day and Day-To-Day Dynamics in Activity–Travel Behavior. Presented at 86th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 2007.
Cite article
Cite article
Cite article
OR
Download to reference manager
If you have citation software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice
Information, rights and permissions
Information
Published In
Article first published online: January 1, 2008
Issue published: January 2008
Authors
Metrics and citations
Metrics
Journals metrics
This article was published in Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board.
VIEW ALL JOURNAL METRICSArticle usage*
Total views and downloads: 88
*Article usage tracking started in December 2016
Altmetric
See the impact this article is making through the number of times it’s been read, and the Altmetric Score.
Learn more about the Altmetric Scores
Articles citing this one
Receive email alerts when this article is cited
Web of Science: 0
Crossref: 23
- Commute based learning: Integrating literature across transportation, ...
- Get Distracted or Missed the Stop? Investigating Public Transit Passen...
- A critical review of activity participation decision: a key component ...
- Participation in online activities while travelling: an application of...
- A Comparative Study of Passenger Multitasking Activities on Commuting ...
- Investigating the influence of latent lifestyles on productive travels...
- Analysis of Travel-Time Use in Crowded Trains using Discrete-Continuou...
- Travel-based multitasking: review of the role of digital activities an...
- How do passengers allocate and evaluate their travel time? Evidence fr...
- Expanding the positive utility of travel through weeklong tracking: Wi...
- Multitasking on the go: An observation study on local public transport...
- Multimodal travel-based multitasking during the commute: Who does what...
- Preferences for travel-based multitasking: Evidence from a survey amon...
- Multitasking during Travel in Mumbai, India: Effect of Satiation in He...
- Impact of ICT on multitasking during travel and the value of travel ti...
- Travel-based multitasking: review of the empirical evidence
- Time Use on Trains: Media Use/Non-use and Complex Shifts in Activities
- Smart Devices and Travel Time Use by Bus Passengers in Vancouver, Cana...
- Judgments of travel experiences, activity envelopes, trip features and...
- Benefits of Travel: Needs Versus Constraints in Uncertain Environments
- Passengers’ activities during short trips on the London Underground
- Scobit-Based Panel Analysis of Multitasking Behavior of Public Transpo...
- Extent, Nature, and Covariates of Multitasking of Rail Passengers in a...
Figures and tables
Figures & Media
Tables
View Options
Get access
Access options
If you have access to journal content via a personal subscription, university, library, employer or society, select from the options below:
loading institutional access options
Alternatively, view purchase options below:
Purchase 24 hour online access to view and download content.
Access journal content via a DeepDyve subscription or find out more about this option.
