Traveler Decision Making Under Conditions of Limited Knowledge and Information Provision

This paper presents an theoretical and empirical analysis of the use and effects of travel information. A discrete choice-based model of traveler decision-making under knowledge limitations and information provision is proposed that considers contrasts both the acquisition of travel information and the effect of received messages on travel choices simultaneously. The model is then estimated on data collected in a multimodal travel simulator-experiment with travel information provision. Estimation results provide face validity to the proposed modeling approach, as a substantial share of the variation in choices for a variety of information options and travel alternatives appears to be captured by the model. Furthermore, new insights are gained with respect to the role of travel information in multimodal travel choice making. For example, it is found that travelers hold intrinsic preferences of some information types (e.g. the generation of new travel alternatives) over others (e.g. the assessment of already known alternatives) that are beyond straight economic explanations.