Developing a structural model of the role of psychological factors in the travel mode choice for student’s university trips based on the theory of planned behavior

Articles in Press

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors
Faezeh Sadat Esmaeili 1
Hossein Haghshenas 2
Seyedeh Razieh Tabaeian 3
1 Department of Transportation of Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.
2 Assistant professor in Transportation Department in Isfahan University of Technology
3 Faculty of Psychology of Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran
10.22119/jte.2025.512070.2737
Abstract
The current study aims to investigate the role of psychological factors affecting the tendency and behavior of choosing public transportation for university trips. In order to investigate the psychological factors affecting the choice of travel mode, the theory of planned behavior was used. Since universities are attractive for travel and the study of student travel and the growth of travel modes for them will have a wide impact on society, in the present study, 398 questionnaires were completed by students from Isfahan University and Isfahan University of Technology. The structural equation modeling method was used to examine the relationships expressed in the theory of planned behavior. The results showed that individuals' attitudes toward public transportation have the most direct and significant effect on individuals' tendency and intention to use public transportation. After that, attitudes toward personal transportation have an inverse effect and subjective norms have a direct effect on the willingness to use public transportation. Accordingly, it was suggested that students' attitudes should be changed through appropriate education and advertising, and that by strengthening people's understanding of the benefits of public transportation, people should be led towards improved public transportation.

Keywords

Subjects

Quarterly Journal of Transportation Engineering

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 21 December 2025

  • Receive Date 12 March 2025
  • Revise Date 18 August 2025
  • Accept Date 29 November 2025