Abstract
The aim of the paper is to answer questions related to the explanation of the travel mode choice used by people for regular commuting and what role in their decision making can be attributed to location of their residence, i.e. how the travel mode choice differs in case of traditional urban residents and suburban residents. I study the travel mode choice from two perspectives: a) statistical and b) behavioural.
Using the statistical analysis I explain the travel mode choice based on situational constraints and differences between social groups. Summarizing both types of findings, I conclude that the everyday travel mode choice depends to a large extent on constraints such as the amount of time and money available to the individual, public transport services, civic facilities in the place of residence, and required mobility for job related reasons.
In the qualitative study I focus on what type of residence people prefer. The findings indicate that the preferences of traditional urban or contrarily suburban living already include projections about types of travelling.
Therefore it is necessary to look for an explanation of travel mode choice in some groups of people beyond utility connected to every single choice. Because disregarding the actual travel mode choice there are dominant entirely different spheres of rationality in travel behaviour and different theoretical concepts of behaviour are suitable for their explanation.
They are: 1) travel mode choice rationality based on constraints, 2) a consistent lifestyle including travel mode as well as nature of residence choice, and 3) the travel mode choice as an unreflected habit. According to the three types of rationality we can identify different factors of individual transport development and possibilities of overturning the current increasing trend of car transport.