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User segments in public transport - Case light rail 15
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School of Engineering |
Master's thesis
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en
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70
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Abstract
Public transport is essential for promoting both environmental sustainability and social accessibility within the urban transport system. Limited access to public transport can significantly hinder individuals’ ability to participate in daily activities, particularly for vulnerable population groups. At the same time, increasing public transport ridership is crucial for achieving transport-related emission reduction goals.
This study investigates user segmentation of Helsinki Region Transport’s (HSL) Light Rail Line 15 by identifying and characterising both users and non-users. The research employs Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to uncover latent socio-demographic and trip-related patterns among respondents. The study addresses two primary research questions: 1) What are the segments that use line 15? and 2) What are the segments that do not use line 15?
The analysis is based on HSL’s Light Rail Travel Survey conducted in autumn 2024, supplemented by Statistics Finland’s Paavo dataset. In total, 26 variables were included in the analysis, 22 from the survey and 4 from the Paavo data.
The LCA resulted in the identification of five segments: Segments 1-3 represent users of Line 15, whereas Segments 4-5 consist of non-users. Common features across all segments include a high share of female respondents, commuting as the dominant trip purpose, residence in Helsinki, and average trip durations of 16-30 minutes. Among those who currently use Line 15, many previously used the trunk bus line 550, while those who do not use Line 15 typically had not used line 550 either. Notably, the socio-demographic variables played a limited role in the segmentation results, which were primarily shaped by travel behaviour. Future research could benefit from employing the same method with a broader set of sociodemographic indicators to reveal more nuanced patterns.
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Mladenovic, MilosThesis advisor
Dibaj, SamiraValtonen, Saara