Estimating travel patterns and the impacts of fare schemes for different user groups in Stockholm based on smartcard data (FairAccess)

Providing an accessible, inclusive and affordable public transport service for all is a prime policy and planning goal. Notwithstanding, there is very scarce empirical knowledge on the differences in travel patterns among user groups and consequently on the impacts of various measures on their behavior. This lack of knowledge prevents planners from assessing the impacts of alternative investments/policy measures on different groups (in particular vulnerable groups in society) and as a result undermining its incorporation in the decision-making process. In this project, disaggregate smartcard data will be utilized to estimate origin-destination matrices of different user groups and thus facilitate their consideration in future demand forecasting and investment assessment projects. Providing these matrices as an input will allow categorizing assignment outputs (e.g. travel time savings) for different groups and subsequently quantify the equity implications of different policy instruments. Furthermore, a before-after assessment will examine the fairness of the recent fare scheme change from zone-based to flat-rate. In particular, changes in the accessibility of different user groups, impacts on traveled distance and frequency, and the distributional effects will be analyzed to assess the contribution of the fare policy change to overall mobility and societal goals.

Period: 2018-01-01 – 2019-12-31

Funder: Stockholm City Council (SLL)

Project leader: Oded Cats

Participants: Isak Rubensson, Yusak Susilo, Erik Jenelius