Exploring spatial heterogeneity in accessibility and transit mode choice

Since accessibility is an important goal for sustainable transportation planning, this study analyzes the impact of accessibility on transit mode choice to investigate the potential reasons for the differences in the travel behavior of urban and suburban residents. To attain this purpose, two levels of spatial heterogeneity are considered. The first level is residential spatial heterogeneity, which represents the variations in the impacts of the factors between urban and suburban regions. The second level is the OD spatial heterogeneity, which represents whether the travel is between urban and suburban areas. Taking Xiamen city as a case study and considering the relationships between three OD characteristics (OD transit accessibility, OD travel distance, and OD spatial heterogeneity), this paper uses a joint analysis of the probit model and the structural equation model for multi-group samples. The results indicate that the low transit accessibility in suburban areas is related to lower public transportation use by suburban residents and less inter-regional bus travel by urban residents. The findings provide empirical support for the importance of suburban infrastructure development.