Investigating the impact of gender and work profile on attribute importance for mode choice: A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making approach

In the recent years, there has been an increase in research exploring the factors that influence mode choice for commuting. Yet, the impact of gender (female vs. male) and work profile (formal vs. informal) on mode choice for decision-making is not well-known, especially in the Indian context. In this study, a multi-criteria decisionmaking tool was utilized to bridge this gap, exploring which attributes are most important to respondents from different genders and work backgrounds while choosing a mode of transportation for commuting. Focus group discussions were conducted at six selected locations. Using Fuzzy-AHP (analytical hierarchy process), it was determined that female respondents and formal workers place the greatest importance on travel time and safety, while male respondents and informal workers place the greatest importance on travel cost. In terms of their influence on mode selection, comfort and privacy were the least weighted factors for all four groups. Also, among the four categories, formal workers attributed the significant weight to hygiene and cleanliness (10%). In addition, it was revealed using Kendall's Concordance test that gender and work profiles are associated with the mode of transportation chosen by respondents for commuting. By examining the factors influencing intercity travel for commuting, traffic departments can gain insight into passengers' travel decision structures and develop an effective policy for travel demand management.