Skip to main content
Log in

An evaluation of activity-based travel analysis

  • Review paper
  • Published:
Transportation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper is a review and assessment of the contributions made by “activity-based approaches” to the understanding and forecasting of travel behavior. In their brief history of approximately a decade, activity-based analyses have received extensive interest. This work has led to an accumulation of empirical evidence and new insights and has made substantial contributions toward the better understanding of travel behavior. However, practical applications of the approach in transportation planning and policy development have been scarce. Based on an analysis of the inherent characteristics of the activity-based approach, a review of recent (after the 1981 Oxford conference) developments, and a synthesis of the findings from past empirical studies, this study attempts to evaluate the contribution made by activity-based analyses and determine the reasons for the limited practical application. Recommendations are made for the future development of activity-based analysis as a science of travel behavior and as a tool in the practice of transportation planning and policy development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adiv, A. (1983) The structure of work-trip based on analysis of trip diaries in the San Francisco Bay Area. In: S. Carpenter & P. Jones (Eds.) Recent Advances in Travel Demand Analysis (pp. 117–36). Gower, Aldershot, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Allaman, P.M., T.J. Tardiff & F.C. Dunbar (1982) New Approaches to Understanding Travel Behavior. NCHRP report 250. Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ampt, E. (1983) The social well-being of children. Paper presented at the International Conference on Interpreting and Valuing Transport's Role in Social Well-being, Noordwijk, The Netherlands Ampt, E., M. Bradley & P.M. Jones (1987) Development of an interactive, computer-assisted stated preference technique to study bus passenger preferences. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

  • Bachi, R., S. Reichman & I. Salomon (1987) Geostatistical measures for analyzing activity spaces: application to longitudinal data. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

  • Barnard, P.O. (1986) Modelling Shopping Destination Choices: A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation. Ph.D. thesis. Department of Economics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Beckmann, M.J., T.F. Golob & Y. Zahavi (1983a, 1983b) Travel probability fields and urban spatial structure: 1. Theory, and 2. Empirical tests. Environment and Planning A, 15: 593–606, and 727–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, M., P. Jones & E. Ampt (1987) An interactive household interview method to study bus provision policies. Paper presented at the 15th PTRC Summer Annual Meeting, Bath, England, September

  • Brog, W. & E. Erl (1983) Application of a model of individual behaviour (situational approach) to explain household activity patterns in an urban area and to forecast behavioural changes. In: S. Carpenter & P. Jones (Eds.) Recent Advances in Travel Demand Analysis (pp. 250–70). Gower, Aldershot, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, L.D. (1979) Transportation, Temporal, and Spatial Components of Accessibility. D.C. Heath, Lexington, Massachusetts

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, S. & P. Jones (1983) Recent Advances in Travel Demand Analysis. Gower, Aldershot, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Chicoine, J.E. and D.K. Boyle (1984) Life-cycle concept: a practical application to transportation planning. Transportation Research Record 987: 1–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M. (1986) Activity modelling - a research tool or a practical planning technique? In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 3–15). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, M.I., M.C. Dix & P.B. Goodwin (1982) Some issues of dynamics in forecasting travel behaviour — a discussion paper. Transportation 11: 153–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Damm, D. (1983) Theory and empirical results: a comparison of recent activity-based research. In: S. Carpenter & P. Jones (Eds.) Recent Advances in Travel Demand Analysis (pp. 3–33). Gower, Aldershot, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Dix, M.C. & A.D. Layzell (1986) Behaviour changes in chainging populations: problems and proposals for policy-directed longitudinal studies. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 55–79). VNU Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Golob, J.M. & T.F. Golob (1983) Classification of approaches to travel-behavior analysis. In: Travel Analysis Methods for the 1980s, Special report 201 (pp. 83–107). Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golob, J.M., L.J.M. Schreurs & J.G. Smit (1986) The design and policy applications of a panel for studying changes in mobility over time. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 81–95). VNU Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Golob, T.F. (1985) Analyzing activity pattern data using qualitative multivariate statistical methods. In: P. Nijkamp, H. Leitner & N. Wrigley (Eds.) Measuring the Umeasurable (pp. 339–56). Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Golob, T.F. (1986) A non-linear canonical correlation analysis of weekly trip chaining behaviour in the Netherlands. Transportation Research A, 20A: 385–99

    Google Scholar 

  • Golob, T.F. & H. Meurs (1986) Biases in response over time in a seven-day travel diary. Transportation 13: 163–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Golob, T.F. & H. Meurs (1987) A structural model of temporal change in multimodal travel demand. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Transporation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

  • Golob, T.F., L. van Wissen & H. Meurs (1986) A dynamic analysis of travel demand. Transportation Research A, 20A: 401–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, P. (1977) Habit and hysteresis in mode choice. Urban Studies 14: 95–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, P. (1983) Some problems in activity approaches to travel demand. In: S. Carpenter & P. Jones (Eds.) Recent Advances in Travel Demand Analysis (pp. 470–74). Gower, Aldershot, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, P.B. (1986) A panel analysis of changes in car ownership and bus use. Traffic Engineering and Control 27: 519–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin, P.B. & A.D. Layzell (1985) Longitudinal analysis for public transport policy issues. In: G.R.M. Jansen, P. Nijkamp & C.J. Ruijgrok (Eds.) Transportation and Mobility in an Era of Transition (pp. 185–200). North-Holland, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunn, H.F. (1981) An analysis of travel budgets into mandatory and discretionary components. Paper presented at the PTRC 9th Summer Annual Meeting, University of Warwick, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Hagerstrand, T. (1970) What about people in regional science? Papers of the Regional Science Association 24: 7–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, S. & P. Hanson (1981) The impact of married women's employment on household travel patterns: a Swedish example. Transportation 10: 165–83

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, S. & J.O. Huff (1982) Assessing day-to-day variability in complex travel patterns. Transportation Research Record 891: 18–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, S. & J.O. Huff (1985) Implications of analysis of multiday data for spatial choice modeling. Paper presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washinton, D.C.

  • Hanson, S. & J.O. Huff (1986) Classification issues in the analysis of complex travel behavior. Transportation 13: 271–93

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, S. & J.O. Huff (1987) Systematic variability in repetitious travel. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

  • Hanson, S. & J.O. Huff (1988) Systematic variability in repetitious travel. Transportation (in this issue)

  • Hensher, D.A. (1986) Model specification for a quasi-dynamic discrete-continuous choice automobile demand system in discrete time using panel data. Working paper No. 11. Dimensions of Automobile Demand Project, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Hensher, D.A. (1987) Issues in the pre-analysis of panel data. Transportation Research A, 21A: 265–85

    Google Scholar 

  • Hensher, D.A. & N. Wrigley (1986) Statistical modelling of discrete choices in discrete time with panel data. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 97–116). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirsh, M., J.N. Prashker & M.E. Ben-Akiva (1986) Dynamic model of weekly activity pattern. Transporation Science 20: 24–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Hocherman, I, J.N. Prashker & M. Ben-Akiva (1984) Estimation and use of dynamic transaction models of automobile ownership. Transportation Research Record 944: 134–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoorn, T. van der (1983) Experiments with an activity-based travel model. Transportation 12: 61–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, J. (1982) Modeling traveler responses to alternative gasoline allocation plans. Transportation Research A, 16A: 117–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Horowitz, J. (1985) Travel and location behavior: state of the art and research opportunities. Transportation Research A, 19A: 441–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Huff, J.O. & S. Hanson (1986) Repetition and variability in urban travel. Geographical Analysis 18: 97–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, P.M. (1979) New approaches to understanding travel behaviour: the human activity approach. In: D.A. Hensher & P.R. Stopher (Eds.) Behavioural Travel Modelling (pp. 55–80). Croom Helm, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, P.M. & M. Clarke (1987) The significance and measurement of variability in travel behaviour: a discussion paper. Transportation (in this issue)

  • Jones, P.M., M.C. Dix, M.I. Clarke & I.G. Heggie (1983) Understanding Travel Behaviour. Gower, Aldershot, England

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1983) A sequential, history dependent approach to trip chaining behavior. Transporation Research Record 944: 13–22

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1984a) A model of daily time allocation to discretionary out-of-home activities and trips. Transportation Research B, 18B: 255–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1984b) Incorporating trip chianing into analysis of destination choice. Transportation Research B, 18B: 67–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1985) Trip chaining in a linear city. Transportation Research A, 19A: 155–67

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1986) Linear panel analysis of travel behavior. Technical report. Netherlands Institute of Transport, Rijswijk, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1987) A panel analysis of household car ownership and mobility. Proceedings of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers, No. 383/IV-7: 12–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. (1988) An analysis of weekly activity patterns and travel expenditure. In: R.G. Golledge & H.J.P. Timmermans (Eds.) Behavioral Modeling Approaches in Geography and Planning (pp. 399–423). Croom Helm, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. & P.H.L. Bovy (1987) Analysis of attrition biases and trip reporting errors for panel data. Transportation Research A, 21A: 287–302

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. & T. van der Hoorn (1987) Regularity and irreversibility of weekly travel behavior. Transportation 14: 227–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. & M. Kermanshah (1983) Identifying time and history dependencies of activity choice. Transportation Research Record 944: 22–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. & M. Kermanshah (1984) A sequential model of interdependent activity and destination choice. Transportation Research Record 987: 81–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R. & L.P. Kostyniuk (1986) Maturing motorization and household travel: the case of nuclear-family households. Transportation Research A, 20A, 3: 245–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitamura, R., L.P. Kostyniuk & M.J. Uyeno (1981) Basic properties of urban time-space paths: empirical tests. Transportation Research Record 794: 8–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Knippenberg, C. van & M.I. Clarke (1984) Taking account of when passengers want to travel. Traffic Engineering and Control 25: 602–05

    Google Scholar 

  • Knippenberg, C. van & I. Lameijer (1985) Simulation studies as a tool for determining public transport services in rural areas. In: G.R.M. Jansen, P. Nijkamp & C.J. Ruijgro (Eds) Transportation and Mobility in an Era of Transition (pp. 323-33). North-Holland, Amsterdam

  • Kondo, K. & R. Kitamura (1987) Time-space constraints and the formation of trip chains. Regional Science and Urban Economics 17: 49–05

    Google Scholar 

  • Koppelman, F.S. & E.I. Pas (1984) Estimation of disaggregate regression models of person trip generation with multiday data. In: J. Volmuller & R. Hamerslag (Eds) Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory (pp. 513–31). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Koppelman, F.S. & E.I. Pas (1985) Travel-activity behavior in time and space: methods for representation and analysis. In: P. Nijkamp, H. Leitner & N. Wrigley (Eds) Measuring the Unmeasurable (pp. 587–027). Martinus Nijhoff, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Koppelman, F.S. & T.A. Townsend (1987) Task allocation among household members: theory and analysis. Paper presented at the 5th International Conference on Travel Behavior, Aixen-Provence, France, October

  • Kostyniuk, L.P. & R. Kitamura (1982) Life cycle and household time-space paths: empirical investigation. Transportation Research Record 879: 28–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Kostyniuk, L.P. & R. Kitamura (1984) Temporal stability of urban travel patterns. Transport Policy and Decision Making 2: 481–500

    Google Scholar 

  • Kostyniuk, L.P. & R. Kitamura (1986a) Household lifecycle: predictor of travel expenditure. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 343–62). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Kostyniuk, L.P. & R. Kitamura (1986b) Changing effects of car ownership on household travel patterns. Transportation Research Record 1085: 27–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Kostyniuk, L.P. & R. Kitamura (1987) Effect of aging and motorization on travel behavior. Transportation Research Record (forthcoming)

  • Lancaster, K.J. (1966) A new approach to consumer theory. Journal of Political Economy 85: 132–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Landau, U., J.N. Prashker & B. Alpern (1982) Evaluation of activity constrained choice sets to shopping destination choice modelling. Transportation Research A, 16A, 3: 199–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Landau, U., J.N. Prashker & M. Hirsh (1981) The effect of temporal constraints on household travel behavior. Environment and Planning A, 13: 435–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyon, P.K. (1984) Time-dependent structural equations modeling: a metholology for analyzing the dynamic attitude-behavior relationship. Transportation Science 18: 395–414

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahmassani, H.S., G.-L. Chang & R. Herman (1986) Individual decisions and collective effects in a simulated traffic system. Transportation Science 20: 258–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahmassani, H.S. & G.-L. Chang (1987) Travel time prediction and information availability in commuter behavior dynamics. Paper presented at the 66th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

  • Mazurkiewicz, L. (1985) A statistical model of a multitrip spatial-interaction pattern. Environment and Planning A, 17: 1533–39

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald, K.G. & P.R. Stopher (1983) Some contrary indications for the use of household structure in trip-generation analysis. Transportation Research Record 944: 92–100

    Google Scholar 

  • McFadden, D. (1974) Conditional logit analysis of qualitative choice behavior. In: P. Zarembka (Ed) Frontiers in Econometrics. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Morsangliere, H. de La & C. Raux (1983) Structure of the family and trips behavior. Paper presented at the World Conference on Transport Research, Hamburg

  • Narula, S., M. Harwitz & B. Lentnek (1983) Where shall we shop today? A theory of multiple-stop, multiple-purpose shopping trips. Papers of the Regional Science Association 53: 159–73

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Kelly, M.E. (1981) A model of the demand for retail facilities, incorporating multistop, multipurpose trips. Geographical Analysis 13: 134–48

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Kelly, M.E. & E.J. Miller (1984) Characteristics of multistop multipurpose travel: an empirical study of trip length. Transportation Research Record 976: 33–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohstrom, E.G. & P.R. Stopher (1984) Automobile occupancy, vehicle trips, and trip purpose: some forecasting problems. Transportation Research Record 987: 8–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Palm, R. (1981) Women in nonmetropolitan areas: a time-budget survey. Environment and Planning A, 13: 373–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1983) A flexible and integrated methodology for analytical classification of daily travel-activity behavior. Transportation Science 17: 405–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1984) The effect of selected sociodemographic characteristics on daily travel-activity behavior. Environment and Planning A, 16: 571–81

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1985) State of the art and research opportunities in travel demand: another perspective. Transportation Research A, 19A: 460–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1986a) Multiday samples, parameter estimation precision, and data collection costs for least squares regression trip-generation models. Environment and Planning A, 18: 73–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1986b) Workshop report, workshop on activity analysis and trip chaining. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 445–50). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1987) Intrapersonal variability and model of goodness-of-fit. Transportation Research A, 21A: 431–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Pas, E.I. (1988) Weekly travel-activity patterns. Transportation (this issue)

  • Pas, E.I. & F.S. Koppelman (1985) Analysis of multiday travel-activity patterns. Paper presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C.

  • Pas, E.I. & F.S. Koppelman (1986) An examination of the determinants of day-to-day variability in individuals' urban travel behavior. Transportation 13: 183–200 (reprinted with corrections, Vol. 14, pp. 3–20)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pickup, L. (1985) Women's travel needs in a period of rising female employment. In G.R.M. Jansen, P. Nijkamp & C.J. Ruijgrok (Eds) Transportation and Mobility in an Era of Transition (pp. 97–113). North-Holland, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Raux, C. & S. Rosenbloom (1986) Employment, childcare and travel behavior: France, the Netherlands, the United States. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 363–79). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Recker, W.W. & R. Kitamura (1985) Activity-based travel analysis. In: G.R.M. Jansen, P. Nijkamp & C.J. Ruijgrok (Eds) Transportation and Mobility in an Era of Transition (pp. 157-83). North-Holland, Amsterdam

  • Recker, W.W. & M.G. McNally (1986) An activity-based modeling framework for transportation policy evaluation. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 31–45). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Recker, W.W., M.G. McNally & G.S. Root (1985) Travel/activity analysis: pattern recognition, classification and interpretation. Transportation Research A, 19A: 179–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Recker, W.W., M.G. McNally & G.S. Root (1986x, 1986b) A model of complex travel behavior. Part I. Theoretical development. Part II. An operational model. Transportation Research A, 20A: 307–18, and 319–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomon, I. (1985) Telecommunications and travel -substitution or modified mobility? Journal of Transport Economics and Policy 19: 219–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Salomon, I. (1986) Telecommunications and travel relationships: a review. Transportation Research A, 20A: 223–38

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, L.E. (1984) Family composition and life style variable use in urban transportation planning. Draft report. Urban Planning and Transportation Management Division, Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, N.C., D.A. Hensher & N. Wrigley (1986) Modelling discrete choice outcome sequences with panel data: an application to automobile transactions. Working paper No. 18. Dimensions of Autombile Demand Project, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Southworth, F. (1985x) Multi-destination, multi-purpose trip chaining and its implications for locational accessibility: a simulation approach. Papers of the Regional Science Association 57: 107–123

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Southworth, F. (1985b) On household travel circuit benefits and their locational implications. In: B. Hutchinson, P. Nijkamp & M. Batty (Eds) Optimization and Discrete Choice in Urban Systems (pp. 116–31). Springer-Verlag, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Supernak, J. (1984) Travel regularities and their interpretations: a discussion paper. Transportation Research Record 987: 48–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Swait, J.D., Jr. & M. Ben-Akiva (1986) Analysis of the effects of captivity on travel time and cost elasticities. In: Behavioural Research for Transport Policy (pp. 119–34). VNU Science Press, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  • Theil, H. (1969) A multinomial extension of the linear logit model. International Economic Review 10: 251–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Thill, J-C (1985).Demand in space and multipurpose shopping: a theoretical approach. Geographical Analysis 17: 114–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Thill, J-C & I. Thomas (1987) Towards conceptualising trip chaining behaviour: a review. Geographical Analysis 19: 1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend, T.A. (1987) The effects of household characteristics on the multiday time allocations and travel activity patterns of households and their members. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Department of Civil Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, S.L. (1962) Stochastic Choice of Mode in Urban Travel: A Study in Binary Choice. Northwestern University Press, Evanston, Illinois

    Google Scholar 

  • Westelius, O. (1973) The Individuals's Way of Choosing Between Alternative Outlets. Document D2, National Swedish Building Research, Stockholm

    Google Scholar 

  • Wigan, M.R. (1983) The Travel and Activity Structure of Australian Cities: Perspectives from Transport Planning Surveys. Internal report AIR 380–4. Australian Road Research Board, Vermont South, Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Wigan, M.R. & J.M. Morris (1981) The transport implications of activity and time budget constraints. Transportation Research A, 15A: 63–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, C.A. (1982) The life cycle concept as a tool for travel research. Transportation 11: 51–69

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kitamura, R. An evaluation of activity-based travel analysis. Transportation 15, 9–34 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00167973

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00167973

Keywords

Navigation