What type of vehicle do people drive? The role of attitude and lifestyle in influencing vehicle type choice

Sangho Choo, Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 2003, in Transportation Research Part A

doi:10.1016/j.tra.2003.10.005

Location	San Francisco Bay Area, California
Population	General
Sample size	nan
Factor analysis type	pre-existing scale, unknown rotation
Stepwise regression	nan
Removal of insignificant variables	nan
Reviewed by	nan

Abstract

Traditionally, economists and market researchers have been interested in identifying the factors that affect consumers’ car buying behaviors to estimate market share, and to that end they have developed various models of vehicle type choice. However, they do not usually consider consumers’ travel attitudes, personality, lifestyle, and mobility as factors that may affect the vehicle type choice. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship of such factors to individuals’ vehicle type choices, and to develop a disaggregate choice model of vehicle type based on these factors as well as typical demographic variables. The data for this study comes from a 1998 mail-out/mail-back survey of 1904 residents in the San Francisco Bay Area. The dependent variable (the vehicle type the respondent drives most often) is classified into nine categories: small, compact, mid-sized, large, luxury, sports, minivan/van, pickup, and sport utility vehicle. Based on these categories, we first related vehicle type to travel attitude, personality, lifestyle, mobility, and demographic variables individually, using one-way analysis of variance and chi-squared tests. Then, a multinomial logit model for vehicle type choice was estimated. The final model (which possessed the IIA property) confirmed that the variables analyzed significantly affect an individual’s vehicle type choice. These results provide useful background not only to vehicle manufacturers, but also to decision makers and planners of transportation policy related to vehicle ownership, traffic congestion, and energy consumption.

Factors

Variable	Pattern loading
My commute is a real hassle (Convenience)	-0.695
My commute trip is a useful transition between home and work (Lifestyle)	0.583
The traveling that I need to do interferes with doing other things I like (Convenience)	-0.53
I use my commute time productively (Convenience)	0.467
Travel time is generally wasted time (Convenience)	-0.461
Getting stuck in traffic doesn't bother me too much (Convenience)	0.419
Traveling is generally tiring for me (Comfort)	-0.225

Variable	Pattern loading
Having shops and services within walking distance of my home is important to me (Res preference/perception)	0.243

Variable	Pattern loading
To improve air quality, I am willing to pay a little more to use an electric or other clean-fuel vehicle (Environmentalism)	0.641
We should raise price of gasoline to reduce congestion and air pollution (Environmentalism)	0.617
We need more public transportation, even if taxes have to pay for a lot of the costs (Transport policy)	0.612
I limit my auto travel to help improve congestion and air quality (Environmentalism)	0.372
We can find cost-effective technological solutions to the problem of air pollution (Environmentalism)	0.353
We need more highways, even if taxes have to pay for a lot of the costs (Transport policy)	-0.194

Variable	Pattern loading
Living in a multiple family unit wouldn't give me enough privacy (Res preference/perception)	-0.617
I like living in a neighborhood where there is a lot going on (Res preference/perception)	0.486
Having shops and services within walking distance of my home is important to me (Res preference/perception)	0.401
I like to have a large yard at my home (Res preference/perception)	-0.323
I'd rather have someone else do the driving (Mode-liking)	0.227

Variable	Pattern loading
Traveling is boring (Convenience)	0.621
I like exploring new places (Lifestyle)	-0.537
The only good thing about traveling is arriving at your destination (Convenience)	0.525
Getting there is half the fun (Travel liking)	-0.465
Travel time is generally wasted time (Convenience)	0.379
Traveling makes me nervous (Safety)	0.201
Traveling is generally tiring for me (Comfort)	0.266

Variable	Pattern loading
In terms of local travel - I have the freedom to go anywhere I want to (Convenience)	0.511
In terms of long-distance travel, I have the freedom to go anywhere I want to (Convenience)	0.422
The vehicles I travel in are comfortable (Comfort)	0.295
It is nice to be able to do errands on the way to or from work (Convenience)	0.269
I am willing to pay a toll to travel on an uncongested road (Convenience)	0.212

Variable	Pattern loading
I worry about my safety when I travel (Safety)	0.544
Traveling makes me nervous (Safety)	0.537
Traveling is generally tiring for me (Comfort)	0.41
I'd rather have someone else do the driving (Mode-liking)	0.329
I tend to get sick when traveling (Comfort)	0.318
I am uncomfortable being around people I don't know when I travel (Comfort)	0.297
I like traveling alone (Lifestyle)	-0.194

Variable	Pattern loading
Adventurous (Lifestyle)	0.776
Variety seeking (Lifestyle)	0.695
Spontaneous (Lifestyle)	0.574
Risk taking (Lifestyle)	0.557
Like to stay close to home (Lifestyle)	-0.435
Ambitious (Lifestyle)	0.422
Like moving at high speeds (Lifestyle)	0.398
Like being outdoors (Lifestyle)	0.385
On a routine (Lifestyle)	-0.355
Like being independent (Lifestyle)	0.25
Aggressive (Lifestyle)	0.162
Patient (Lifestyle)	0.163
Like being in charge (Lifestyle)	0.199

Variable	Pattern loading
Risk taking (Lifestyle)	-0.192
Ambitious (Lifestyle)	-0.217
Like moving at high speeds (Lifestyle)	-0.345
Aggressive (Lifestyle)	-0.599
Patient (Lifestyle)	0.532
Restless (Lifestyle)	-0.389
Like being in charge (Lifestyle)	-0.38

Variable	Pattern loading
Like being alone (Lifestyle)	0.935
Like being independent (Lifestyle)	0.314

Variable	Pattern loading
Like to stay close to home (Lifestyle)	0.168
Ambitious (Lifestyle)	0.33
Efficient (Lifestyle)	0.624
On time (Convenience)	0.371
Like a routine (Lifestyle)	0.364
Like being independent (Lifestyle)	0.301
Aggressive (Lifestyle)	0.312
Like being in charge (Lifestyle)	0.363

Variable	Pattern loading
Work and family do not leave me enough time for myself (Lifestyle)	0.262
I wouldn't necessarily have to like my work that much, as long as I made enough money (Lifestyle)	-0.037
I'd like to spend more time with my family and friends (Lifestyle)	0.585
My family and friends are more important to me than my work (Lifestyle)	0.472
I'd like to spend more time on social, environmental, or religious causes (Lifestyle)	0.418
Occasionally, I'd be willing to give up a day's pay to get a day off work (Lifestyle)	0.273
I'd like to spend more time on work (Lifestyle)	-0.164

Variable	Pattern loading
I often feel like I don't have much control over my life (Lifestyle)	0.72
I am generally satisfied with my life (Lifestyle)	-0.618
Work and family do not leave me enough time for myself (Lifestyle)	0.357
I wouldn't necessarily have to like my work that much, as long as I made enough money (Lifestyle)	0.214
I feel that I am wasting time when I have to wait (Convenience)	0.16

Variable	Pattern loading
To me, the car is a status symbol (Social norms)	0.698
A lot of the fun of having something nice is showing it off (Lifestyle)	0.518
To me, the car is nothing more than a convenient way to get around (Mode-liking)	-0.411
The one who dies with the most toys wins (Other)	0.41

Variable	Pattern loading
Work and family do not leave me enough time for myself (Lifestyle)	0.203
I feel that I am wasting time when I have to wait (Convenience)	0.156
My family and friends are more important to me than work (Lifestyle)	-0.233
I'm pretty much a workaholic (Lifestyle)	0.652
I'd like to spend more time on work (Lifestyle)	0.373
I generally try to spend some time each week just on myself (Lifestyle)	-0.178
I don't like to stay in one place for long (Lifestyle)	0.171

Models

Dependent variable	Vehicle Choice
Model type	multinomial logit
Sample size	1571.0
R²	0.177
Adjusted R²
Pseudo R² (nan)	nan
AIC	nan
BIC	nan
Log-likelihood at zero	-3451.8
Log-likelihood at constants	-3183.5
Log-likelihood at convergence	-2839.2

Compact
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Pro-hi Density	0.491	0.0
Subjective overall long-distance travel	-0.182	0.019
Education	0.364	0.0
Female	2.176	0.0
Constant	-1.127	0.002

Large
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
No. of people > 64	0.901	0.0
Female	2.176	0.0
Constant	-2.278	0.0

Luxury
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Travel dislike	0.461	0.006
Pro-hi Density	0.694	0.0
Frustrated	-0.507	0.025
Status Seeking	0.756	0.0
Sum of log miles by airplane for long-distance travel	0.004	0.004
Education	0.364	0.0
Household income	0.449	0.0
No. of people > 64	0.83	0.0
Female	2.703	0.0
Urban	0.826	0.013
Employed	-0.989	0.016
Sales	0.978	0.023
Constant	-5.931	0.0

Mid-sixed
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Pro-hi Density	0.491	0.0
Organizer	0.181	0.027
Education	0.258	0.0
Household income	0.203	0.0
No. of people < 19	0.24	0.003
No. of people > 64	0.35	0.006
Female	2.419	0.0
Employed	-0.579	0.002
Sales	0.621	0.003
Constant	-1.582	0.0

Minivan/van
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Calm	0.333	0.014
Education	0.258	0.0
No. of people < 19	0.904	0.0
Female	2.176	0.0
Employed	-0.799	0.002
Constant	-2.113	0.0

SUV
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Pro-hi Density	0.694	0.0
Frustrated	-0.238	0.024
Age	-0.582	0.0
Education	0.364	0.0
Household income	0.292	0.0
Female	2.176	0.0
Constant	-1.674	0.002

Small
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Pro-hi Density	0.491	0.0
Workaholic	-0.22	0.015
Liking of personal vehicle for short-distance travel	-0.151	0.046
Age	-0.324	0.001
Education	0.258	0.0
Personal Income	-0.169	0.001
Female	2.419	0.0
Urban	0.667	0.0
Constant	0.667	0.162

Sports
Variable	Coefficient	p-value
Frustrated	-0.425	0.001
Status Seeking	0.445	0.0
Subjective overall short-distance travel	0.208	0.023
Subjective amount of personal vehicle for long-distance travel	-0.221	0.004
Age	-0.367	0.008
Education	0.364	0.0
Female	2.176	0.0
Constant	-1.273	0.043