The empirical assessment of modal c

The empirical assessment of modal choice in transport has traditionally relied on time and cost as the main attributes
influencing people’s travel decisions. Nevertheless, with the improvement of both our understanding of the modal choice
problem and analytical tools (e.g., discrete choice models), we have accumulated unambiguous evidence that shows how
users take into account several qualitative aspects that enhance or harm the experience of travelling. In the case of public
transport, this includes the number of passengers that have to share a bus or train, the quality of seats and the smoothness
of the ride, among many others. The relevance of these qualitative aspects for public transport policy is expected to increase
over time in both developing and developed economies, because as the income of a population increases, public transport
users are likely to attach more value to quality and comfort features, relative to reductions in travel time only. This paper
analyses the effects of having a significant number of people sharing a limited space while using a public transport service