Research on the relationships between travel-related attitudes and travel behaviour has recently been reinvigorated by new theorizing as well as new empirical models. While traditional theories assume a rather static role of attitudes, i.e. acting as stable predispositions that cause behaviours in a unidirectional manner, recent models assume that attitudes and behaviours mutually influence each other over time. This study aims at better understanding attitude-behaviour dynamics by capitalizing on the circumstances presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It assesses how the fear of COVID-19 infection and (the attitude towards) working-from-home influence train use as well as train use attitudes. To explore the (within-person) reciprocal relationships between these variables, random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were estimated using a 4-wave longitudinal dataset collected during the COVID-19 pandemic from a large panel of train travellers in the Netherlands. The results indicate that train use and the attitude towards train use reciprocally influence each other. Those with stronger fears of infection in one wave tend to use the train less in a subsequent wave, but higher use of the train in one wave also reduces the fear of infection in the next. We also found that working from home (WFH) and travelling by train operate as substitutes for one another. Moreover, people who work from home frequently become more fearful of infection. All the findings are consistent with cognitive dissonance theory that people develop attitudes that align with their behaviours. The paper concludes with several policy implications related to changing attitudes and promoting train use.@en

This study investigates whether the decline in public transit ridership is a temporary phenomenon or indicative of a structural shift in travel patterns and attitudes. We estimate a latent class trajectory model using data from a comprehensive and large-scale survey administered by the Dutch national train operator conducted at eight different points in time after the onset of the pandemic. Six latent trajectories in train use and stated future intentions to use the train are revealed, showing different ‘recovery’ pathways. Whereas low-educated frequent commuters travel almost as much as before, highly educated frequent commuters and mixed-purpose travellers still travel much less, even in the last wave when all restrictions are lifted. The results indicate that travellers belonging to these classes have structurally changed their behaviour. The shift to working from home is more pronounced than the shift to private car use.

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Many studies have found that both the chosen travel mode and travel duration have a strong effect on travel satisfaction. However, travel mode and duration are often related with each other, as active trips often have shorter durations than trips with motorized modes. As a result, the effect of travel mode choice on travel satisfaction may be attenuated by travel duration. Results from this study, using a sample of 1,430 respondents from Ghent (Belgium), indicate that commute mode and commute duration are strongly related with each other (with active trips having shorter durations than public transport trips), and that they both influence commute satisfaction. However, results from two-way ANOVAs and regression analyses indicate that duration has a stronger effect than travel mode and that the effect of travel mode is mainly moderated by duration. After controlling for duration, we only found a negative effect of car frequency on commute satisfaction. Satisfaction differences between active travelers and public transport users are mainly explained by short active trips and long public transport trips. As a result, policy measures trying to increase travel satisfaction should not focus on a modal shift away from public transport, but on decreasing (perceived) travel time of public transport trips.@en