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Evaluating the Factors Affecting Student Travel Mode Choice A Methodology to Prioritize Safe Routes to School Programs. Meead Saberi, Portland State University meead@pdx.edu. Introduction to Safe Routes to School: Health, Safety and Transportation Nexus. Traffic congestion around schools
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Evaluating the Factors Affecting Student Travel Mode Choice A Methodology to Prioritize Safe Routes to School Programs Meead Saberi, Portland State University meead@pdx.edu
Introduction to Safe Routes to School: Health, Safety and Transportation Nexus • Traffic congestion around schools • Motor vehicle emissions polluting the environment • Less physical activity • Growing epidemic of obesity Goal: Increase number of children walking and bicycling safely to school
Introduction to Safe Routes to School: Health, Safety and Transportation Nexus Make routes safer for children to walk and bicycle to school Encourage more children to walk and bicycle to school
Identify and study the factors influencing the travel behavior of Iranian students traveling to and from school. Prioritize Safe Routes to School programs Presenting some cross-country comparison Objectives
Factors affecting student travel behavior Non-urban factors: gender, age, grade, ethnicity, income, household type, auto ownership, school size, social/cultural norms Urban factors: land use patterns, availability of sidewalks, population and employment density, job mix, jobs and residence balance, school location, travel time, travel distance, travel cost, school centeredness within neighborhoods, accessibility, neighborhood safety, traffic safety Background
Selected factors age, gender, grade, household income, school size and whether students attended a neighborhood school Data collection Student travel survey 7,443 students in 78 schools Mashhad, Iran February and March 2008 Methodology
Mashhad, Iran Population: 2,427,316 (2006) Area: 204 km² (78.8 sq mi) Density: 30,803 /sq mi Portland, OR Density: 4,199 /sq mi London, UK Density: 12,331 /sq mi Copenhagen, Denmark Density: 15,218 /sq mi New York City Density: 27,147 /sq mi Study Area 7.3 times denser than Portland 2.5 times denser than London 2 times denser than Copenhagen 1.1 times denser than NYC
Write your age, gender, grade What travel mode do you often use to get to school and return home from school: parents’ car, carpooling, school bus, public bus, taxi, walking alone, walking in group, biking alone and biking in group Determine the reasons for not walking or biking to or from school Student Travel Survey
Conclusions STRT programs are encouraged to be prioritized for following students: Students with higher level of income Students who attend not neighborhood schools Female students High school students
Acknowledgment Mohammad R. Rezaeian, University of Semnan Dr. Mohammad R. Ahadi, University of Semnan Dr. G. Ali Shafabakhsh, University of Semnan Dr. Robert Bertini, Portland State University
Questions? Thank you