Sustainability, Vol. 11, Pages 3281: Can Accessing the Internet while Travelling Encourage Commuters to Use Public Transport Regardless of Their Attitude? (Sustainability)

Due to advances in technology (in particular the Internet), people have become less restricted by space and time, and can use travel time more productively by using their Internet-connected mobile devices on the move. Some operators provided Internet access on public transport to increase ridership. This has been shown to increase ridership, however it is not clear if it can induce people who prefer private cars to public transport to consider using public transport. In this paper, we examine the relationship between the frequency of using the Internet while commuting or travelling, and commuting mode choice, and how this relationship varies for people who have different attitudes toward public transport. Our results show that commuters who use the Internet frequently on the move tend to use public transport more. In addition, this association is significant for those who prefer private cars to public transport, showing the potential effectiveness of new technology in generating new riders.