Investigation of departure time in the journey to work in Tabuk city

Attiyah M. Al-Atawi

Associate Professor Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tabuk

Tel. +966500003438, P.O.Box 741 Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia

Email: aalatawi@ut.edu.sa

Accepted 12 July 2014

Abstract

Very little attention has been given on departure choice modelling compared to other travel demand, trip mode choice models. This is especially true in the developing countries.  Due to limited research and data availability and state of art and practice in travel choice modelling; local, state and countries transportation agencies do not have an explicit component to accommodate departure time choice in their travel model systems, and as a result simplistic, aggregate-level approaches are often adopted. This research investigate departure time choice and travel time flexibility in the city of Tabuk in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The results show that the female members of the family are more flexible in departure and arrival times, which reflect the fact that female travellers in KSA do not drive and hence have less travel commitments than male travellers. A Probit model has been calibrated and the paper concludes with recommendations of further work in the area of travel behaviour, departure time choices and female travel in Saudi Arabia. 

Keyword: Departure time, Journey to work, Probit model, Travel behaviour