Toward a new paradigm for urban mobility in Brazil: An empirical investigation in the city of Florianópolis
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
2023
Subject Area
place - urban, place - south america, ridership - behaviour, ridership - commuting, ridership - mode choice, ridership - perceptions, policy - congestion, policy - environment, policy - social exclusion, policy - sustainable
Keywords
Sustainable mobility, habits, policy options, commuters, modal choice
Abstract
Traffic congestion and unsustainable mobility patterns represent a severe issue for most Brazilian cities, with traditional approaches often proving to be scarcely effective in tackling the problem. We argue that a crucial hindrance is represented by the limited attention devoted to “the commuter perspective”: only a deeper understanding of the motives behind mobility-related behaviors of citizens would enable policy makers to implement sound mobility plans. We performed an empirical investigation on residents of the city of Florianópolis (n = 436), analyzing the determinants of modal choice. Results confirm the pivotal role exerted by habits, and the willingness of respondents to opt for sustainable transport modes; a peculiar finding is represented by the marginality of social and environmental aspects in shaping commuters’ behaviors, and the perceived lack of convenient alternatives that is yet hindering a broad shift which is seen as necessary. Based on the evidence emerging from the study, we provide a contribution to the debate by discussing possible lines of action and policy options that could be implemented.
Rights
Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Taylor&Francis, copyright remains with them.
Recommended Citation
Lanzini, P., Pinheiro, D., & Jara, E. (2023). Toward a new paradigm for urban mobility in Brazil: An empirical investigation in the city of Florianópolis. International Journal of Sustainable Transportation, 17(4), 319-332.
