Background and aims

There is untapped potential for public transport-related physical activity to make an important contribution to total physical activity and hence improve health. This study aimed to determine the willingness of public transport users to walk further than necessary to a stop, and the characteristics of those willing to do so.

Methods

This study used data from three waves (2016, 2017, 2018) of the Metro Tasmania Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS), an annual cross-sectional survey of bus passengers in Tasmania, Australia. Linear and logistic regression modelled associations between socio-demographic and transport behaviour characteristics with willingness to travel further to usual bus stop if frequency was improved (yes/no), and if willing, the extra distance (metres) prepared to travel. Analyses were restricted to those reporting walking to their bus stop (n = 1402).

Results

Half of 1402 bus passengers were prepared to walk further (average 521 m) to their usual bus stop if frequency was improved. A range of characteristics were positively (residential location) and negatively (age, female sex, retired/on pension, no regular motor vehicle access, intermittent public transport use, higher public transport-related physical activity) associated with willingness to walk further to the bus stop. Distance willing to walk varied by a range of demographic characteristics (sex, household income, age, employment status, bus use, public transport-related physical activity). Only age was consistently associated across all three surveys: younger bus passengers were more willing to walk further and recorded greater distances willing to walk.

Conclusions

The characteristics identified provide insights into which population groups may be more amenable to strategies to increase public transport-related physical activity, and which groups may require further investigation to identify reasons for lack of willingness to walk further to bus stops. Improving bus service frequency may increase public transport-related physical activity and confer health benefits.

中文翻译：

---

与步行到公交车站所需距离的意愿相关的特征：对公共交通相关体育活动的洞察

背景和目标

与公共交通相关的身体活动有尚未开发的潜力，可以为总体身体活动做出重要贡献，从而改善健康。本研究旨在确定公共交通用户比必要步行更远的地方的意愿，以及愿意这样做的人的特征。

方法

本研究使用了塔斯马尼亚地铁乘客满意度调查 (CSS) 的三波（2016 年、2017 年、2018 年）的数据，这是一项针对澳大利亚塔斯马尼亚州巴士乘客的年度横断面调查。线性和逻辑回归模拟了社会人口统计学和交通行为特征与如果频率提高（是/否）愿意进一步前往通常的公交车站的意愿，以及如果愿意，准备旅行的额外距离（米）之间的关联。分析仅限于那些报告步行到公交车站的人（n = 1402）。

结果

如果频率提高，1402 名公交车乘客中有一半准备步行更远（平均 521 m）到他们通常的公交车站。一系列特征与步行到更远的地方的意愿呈正相关（居住地点）和负相关（年龄、女性、退休/领取养老金、没有定期机动车辆、间歇性公共交通使用、与公共交通相关的体育活动较多）巴士车站。愿意步行的距离因一系列人口特征（性别、家庭收入、年龄、就业状况、公共汽车使用、与公共交通相关的体育活动）而异。在所有三项调查中，只有年龄始终相关：年轻的公交车乘客更愿意走得更远，并且愿意走得更远。

结论

确定的特征提供了洞察哪些人群可能更适合增加与公共交通相关的身体活动的策略，哪些人群可能需要进一步调查以确定缺乏步行到公交车站的意愿的原因。提高公交服务频率可能会增加与公共交通相关的体育活动并带来健康益处。