TRAVEL BEHAVIOR AND FACTORS INFLUENCING FREQUENCY OF USING INFORMAL TRANSPORT AND PUBLIC BUS IN URBAN AREA OF PHNOM PENH

For decades, paratransit modes such as Motodup and Remork can be commonly seen in the urban area of Phnom Penh. They play an important role as a major public transport for local travelers, even before the city bus was put into full operation in 2014. This study aims to analyze trip frequency of paratransit and city bus passengers by considering traveler’s socioeconomic variables, trip characteristics and operational characteristics of each mode. Using ordered probit modeling, data is analyzed based on 483 samples collected from four main areas of Phnom Penh, i.e., CBD, educational, residential and suburb areas. Results indicate that students do not use Motodup frequently, but they prefer Remork. Moreover, travel cost is seen to be the major factor that reduces the likelihood of using Motodup and city bus, but this variable is not found significant in determining the frequency of using Remork at all. In terms of attitudes, Remork and city bus passengers perceive comfort and availability importantly. The more important they value these two factors, the more frequent they would use such modes. Since city bus is a highly promoted public transport, policy makers should enrich the quality of comfort and availability as well as keep the travel cost low in order to increase the usage frequency.

数十年来，辅助公共交通（paratransit）方式如Motodup与Remork在柬埔寨金边城区随处可见。早在2014年城市公交全面投入运营之前，它们便已是当地居民出行的核心公共交通选择，发挥着至关重要的作用。本研究旨在结合出行者社会经济属性、出行特征以及各类交通方式的运营特征，分析辅助公共交通与城市公交乘客的出行频次。研究采用有序probit模型（ordered probit modeling），基于从金边四大核心区域——中央商务区（CBD）、教育区、居住区与郊区——收集的483份样本数据开展分析。分析结果显示，学生群体并非Motodup的高频使用者，但更偏好Remork。此外，出行成本是降低Motodup与城市公交使用意愿的关键因素，但该变量对Remork的使用频次并无显著影响。在出行态度层面，Remork与城市公交乘客均将乘坐舒适度与服务可得性视为重要考量维度；对这两项因素的重视程度越高，使用者的出行频次也相应越高。鉴于城市公交是当前重点推广的公共交通方式，政策制定者应通过优化乘坐舒适度与服务可得性、维持低出行成本，以提升其使用频次。