Exploring Commuter Sensitivities to Service Attributes in Public Transport Mode Selection

This study investigates commuter preferences for public transport modes in the urban environment of Patna by applying a stated preference (SP) survey and discrete choice modeling. The research focuses on three formal public transport alternatives which include the metro, buses operated by government authorities, and buses operated by private agencies. These modes were evaluated using five critical service attributes: travel time, travel cost, service frequency, level of comfort, and level of safety. The survey collected responses from 414 individuals, producing a total of 6,575 observations for model estimation. The Multinomial Logit (MNL) model revealed that all five service attributes significantly affect the probability of choosing a particular transport mode. Based on this model, commuters were found to be willing to pay approximately ₹0.68 per kilometer to reduce travel time, ₹0.81 per trip to improve comfort, and ₹0.95 per trip to enhance safety. To account for individual differences in preference patterns, a Random Parameters Logit (RPL) model was estimated. This model captured unobserved behavioral variation and demonstrated improved statistical fit. The revised willingness to pay (WTP) values from this model were ₹0.56 per kilometer for travel time savings, ₹0.94 per trip for improved comfort, and ₹0.96 per trip for enhanced safety. The study concludes that commuters assign considerable value to improvements in comfort and safety and that accounting for preference heterogeneity leads to more realistic and robust policy insights. These findings provide practical guidance for designing commuter-centered public transport systems in rapidly growing urban areas.