Discrete/Continuous Model for Motorcycle Ownership and Utilization Across Income Groups in a Vietnamese Medium-Sized Motorcycle-Dependent City

Abstract

Understanding vehicle choice and utilization is increasingly considered in addressing motorcycle-related challenges by policymakers. However, the linkage between the discrete-continuous decisions has not been examined across income groups. This study measures the interdependence between vehicle choice and utilization for income groups in a Vietnamese medium-sized city. Model estimation results show that contributing factors to households’ motorcycle ownership include individual and household characteristics and some aspects of the built environment. However, differences exist in motorcycle ownership and utilization between low- and medium-income groups. Results from this study may suggest that households may be more likely to buy an extra motorcycle as their incomes increase and this may generate more motorcycle-related issues in the future. On the positive side, we found that the non-motorized mobility resources available in the low-income group played a key role in reducing motorcycle ownership and usage. Therefore, we suggest that medium-sized cities should develop cycling infrastructure to facilitate the mobility of low-income groups as well as promote well-established travel behavior from cyclists; then, they may be less willing to switch to motorized vehicles as their income increases.