Estimating Elasticities for Multi-Modal Public Transport Demand: A Time Series Approach

Research on the demand side of public transportation systems with the use of time series data frequently shows conflicting results with respect to fare elasticities and the factors affecting it. In this analysis we complement prior research by developing seemingly unrelated regression equation models with monthly data for a city served by three different modes of public transportation. The results indicate that, as expected, urban public transport demand in Athens, Greece, is inelastic with respect to fares but, surprisingly, highly inelastic with respect to automobile fuel cost. Further, different transit modes have significantly different fare elasticities, a finding with important practical implications.