The last decade denoted a growing interest in perceived accessibility, yet the link between perceived and objective accessibility measures is understudied. This paper aims to address accessibility poverty by identifying groups with different levels of perceived accessibility. To achieve this aim, we develop a latent class model that relates perceived accessibility patterns to social, transport, and geographical conditions encountered by individuals. To support the specification of the latent class model, we develop a theoretical framework that links transport, social, and geographical conditions with perceived inaccessibility. Data is obtained from the Dutch National Travel Survey, which includes information on travel patterns and preferences. In total, 20,020 participants are included in the analysis. The latent class model identified six social groups with varying levels of perceived accessibility. Notably, while 89% of the individuals perceive excellent accessibility, a minority of 11% experiences different forms of inaccessibility. In addition, the latent class model showed that social rather than transport or spatial conditions encountered by individuals determine perceived inaccessibility. The results lend support to tailored policies aimed at reducing accessibility poverty and social exclusion for specific segments of the population.

To address transport injustice and social exclusion, the needs and perceptions of different groups of individuals seem indispensable. Consequently, perceived accessibility has received a growing interest in recent years. While it is well established that transport and social disadvantages cause transport poverty and perceived inaccessibility, only recently the relevance of geographical disadvantages has been addressed. This paper explores the idea that an individual is more likely to experience inaccessibility if they face transport, social, or geographical disadvantages in at least two of these dimensions of transport poverty. For instance, while living in a rural area or lacking the ownership of a car may not translate into low perceived access on themselves, the combination of the two might lower perceived access. To empirically assess whether and which disadvantages indeed lower perceived accessibility further, the effect of combinations of disadvantages on perceived accessibility in rural and urban areas of the Netherlands are systematically explored using a regression analysis. Data is retrieved from the Dutch National Travel Survey. This survey includes a 1-day travel diary, measures both objective and subjective accessibility, and is administered among a representative sample of the Dutch population. In total, a large and representative sample of 22,742 participants is included in the analysis. Results highlight that rural-living individuals only perceive inaccessibility if they indeed encounter one or more transport and/or social disadvantages as well. Also, not possessing a driver's license determines perceived inaccessibility to a larger extent than a lack of car ownership. Lastly, possessing an e-bike is beneficial for the elderly in both rural and urban Dutch areas. The research findings may support policymakers and practitioners in tailoring policy interventions towards the needs of individuals who suffer from multiple disadvantages.

A biased preference for the status quo could explain the increased support for policies following their implementation. However, the influence of status quo bias on support for transport policies has been analysed to a limited extent only. The counterfactual test serves as a potential method to empirically explore this influence by framing policies as the existing or alternative situation. This paper employs the counterfactual test to ascertain whether individuals disproportionately favour the status quo. To this end, we have designed separate experiments focusing on three transport policies: road pricing, speed limits, and train ticket fare differentiation. The results indicate that status quo bias does indeed influence support for transport policies. Participants prefer each policy option when framed as the status quo. In contrast, support for the same policy option declines when presented as the alternative situation. These findings underscore the irrational tendency to adhere to the status quo, which may stem from psychological commitments or cognitive misperceptions. Therefore, politicians, policymakers, and practitioners should anticipate a bias towards the status quo when introducing controversial transport policies.

Over the past years, aviation policies are more and more focussed on sustainability rather than connectivity, putting pressure on airlines to re-design the network. For this, evaluating air travellers their preferences on direct routing compared to lay-overs is needed to make well-informed design choices. This paper examines the preferences of air travellers on direct itineraries by applying a data-driven approach. To this end, a stated preference choice experiment is developed and implemented in an online survey. The results of the latent class choice model show two types of flyers with different preferences, labelled as time sensitive and price sensitive flyers. The model outcomes indicate that both are willing to pay for direct itineraries, while time sensitive flyers are willing to pay substantially more. Other flight characteristics also play an important role in air travellers’ route choice, such as the distance to the airport, travel time, and transfer time. Travel motive, ticket price compensation by the employer, and experience with layovers drive whether air travellers belong to the time or price sensitive flyers. The distinction between time and price sensitive flyers and their preferences is expected to yield more tailored transport policies than a distinction between, for instance, business and non-business. Future research should focus on the societal impact of a reduction in direct itineraries for air travellers, using insights gained in this study.