Estudo de variáveis socioeconômicas, do ambiente construído e da qualidade percebida como contributos para a demanda do transporte público urbano

Abstract

Cities, increasingly populated, need the development of efficient transport systems to achieve improvements in the quality of life of the population. Factors such as air pollution, congestion and road accidents have been aggravated by the constant increase in private vehicles and the promotion of the use of sustainable modes of transport is essential to mitigate problems related to the sector. Thus, Public Transport (PT) is a great ally in the search for more sustainable urban mobility, mainly for long distance travel and for the transportation of a greater number of people. However, the PT has faced a continuous drop in the demand in recent years, which has been further aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic and understanding the factors that are related to its use is extremely important. The work aims to evaluate the influence of socioeconomic, travel mode, perception of quality, built environment and security variables, in the demand for PT, through the dependent variable frequency of use. Multinomial Logistic Regression was used to demonstrate the significance of the variables in relation to the dependent variable. Some variables were developed in a Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, portraying the relationship with the users' spatial location. The results obtained from the satisfaction level show that users are more dissatisfied with the fare value, frequency of buses and issues related to the characteristics of bus stops, such as information and shelter. The factors related to human aspects were the most satisfactory for users, such as cordiality and driver ability. Regarding the characteristics of the built environment, it was observed that most users have good accessibility to the PT, with only 2.5% of the interviewees being at a distance greater than 500 meters from a bus stop. In relation to safety aspects, it is perceived that most crimes occur in the downtown region and its surroundings, and also in specific neighborhoods on the city. Road accidents occur around the downtown region and along the main streets of the city. Finally, in relation to the significant influence on the dependent variable frequency of use, the variables choice of PT for work and study, payment using transportation vouchers, the age group of 36 to 59 years, a greater distance to the business center and a good accessibility to the bus stop, are related to the frequent use of PT. The male gender, the possession of a private vehicle and dissatisfaction with the fare and punctuality of the buses were the variables related to the rare or occasional use of PT. The results can be used as subsidy to direct the public authorities to improve the PT system and, consequently, to increase the demand. For example, the provision of financial subsidies to reduce the fare value, the inspection of the provision of services and limiting access to individual vehicles. A good internal planning of the operating company is also necessary, ensuring a quality, continuous and efficient service. The results provide technical support in identifying factors that affect the frequency of use of the PT.