EMPOWER
EMPOWERING a reduction in use of conventionally
fuelled vehicles using positive policy measures
Grant agreement n°: 636249
Start date: 1 May 2015
Duration: 36 months
Area: Mobility for Growth: Societal Challenges
Project Officer: Mr. Walter Mauritsch
Systematic review of positive interventions for
sustainable urban mobility behaviour change
Deliverable no 1.1
Version: 1.0
Due date of deliverable: 31 December 2015
Actual submission date: 21 December 2015
Dissemination level: Public
Responsible partner: TNO
A
Summary
This deliverable presents the state-of-the-art regarding positive incentive-based interventions
for attaining short- and long term travel behaviour change, focussing on sustainable modes
of transport, such as walking, cycling, public transport use, and car-pooling. We focused on
positive interventions that were designed to reduce travellers' conventionally fuelled vehicle
use and that encouraged travellers to choose alternatives over (conventionally fuelled) cars.
This deliverable starts by summarizing the findings of 12 previous review studies that had
already reviewed the available evidence on whether or not interventions to reduce car use
were effective. From this synthesis, we have concluded that the studied results do not converge
to a single conclusion, but to a myriad of different conclusions. Moreover, the methodology
used in the majority of studies was not strong, indicating that the validity of results is
questionable. However, the reviews provided a good overview of possible positive incentivebased interventions as well as directions to follow (and pitfalls to avoid) in research
methodology.
Next, we performed our systematic review, which consisted of searching three databases:
Scopus, Transport Research International Documentation (TRID) and PsycInfo. We included
studies in our review if the study involved an evaluation of an intervention designed (or
hypothesized) to change individual travel behaviour and if it contained a behaviour-change
measurement. We used the behaviour change techniques taxonomy of Abraham and Michie
(2008) to deduce the active components of the positive incentive-based interventions from
the studies under review.
The studies included interventions designed to encourage travellers to shift from car to public
transport and active transport (i.e. cycling and walking), car drivers to avoid driving during
rush-hours, groups to travel at specific times, or students to choose a residential location with
easy access to a sustainable travel mode.
To be able to make the underlying behavioural mechanisms of successful positive incentivebased interventions clear, we connected the interventions in the studies to specific behaviour
change techniques. Many studies made use of multiple behaviour change techniques. The
behaviour change technique employed most often in the studies was providing ‘general
encouragement by adding objects to the environment’ (i.e. maps, guides, free travel tickets,
message signs, software systems, timetables, leaflets, and applications on smartphones). Other
popular clusters of behaviour change techniques were ‘rewards’ (i.e. affirmation letters, point,
credits, subsidies, discounts, and lottery draws) and ‘shaping knowledge’ (i.e. classes, trainings,
instruction software). Also techniques from the clusters ‘goals and planning’ (i.e. ‘set goal’,
‘make plan to achieve goal’, ‘agree to contract’), ‘feedback and monitoring’ (i.e. track
behaviour, receive feedback), ‘natural consequences’ (i.e. leaflets describing benefits and costs
of several behavioural options) and ‘comparison of behaviour’ (i.e. websites allowing
comparisons between own and others’ behaviour, training classes demonstrating the
behaviour) were used.
We found based on our systematic review that the effects of positive incentive-based
interventions were mixed. Studies that reported significant changes in travel behaviour were
mainly based on self-reported behaviour change (measured through surveys), and in only a
few cases on actual trip data before and after the intervention. We also observed that the
effectiveness of interventions depended strongly on the match with certain target groups.
The studies on interventions providing free transport cards showed strong effects on changing
travel behaviour, and thereby suggested that providing free transport card to employees is a
successful intervention that can be implemented by other employers (e.g., universities). We
also found a lot of evidence about the effects of gifts, rewards, points, discounts and lotteries
on changing travel behaviour. Probably not surprisingly, these interventions can have strong
positive effects on behaviour. One of the issues, though, is how maintainable it is to keep going
on with providing rewards. In many cases people returned to old habits when rewards were
no longer provided. Within the transport research field, it appears that free trials or gifts were
particularly effective in attracting first-time users, but for strongly habitual car users other
additional interventions are needed. Varying the magnitude or duration of gifts, rewards,
points, and discounts, or assigning those randomly may be more effective in sustaining and
reinforcing modal shifts over longer terms.
One of the techniques that is still underused, is providing information about others’ approval.
Especially in situations where people know each other (such as, at work or school) it may be
effective to provide information about what others think of certain travel behaviours and
whether they approve or disapprove of certain travel behaviour changes. Interventions that
implemented opportunities for social comparison or that provided social support were also
scarce. Their potential, however, seems quite promising. With limited scientific studies in the
field of transport, living lab experiments within EMPOWER may allow us to explore these types
of social interventions beyond the state of the art.
Finally, the EMPOWER living lab experiments should apply sound methodology in order to be
able to draw founded conclusions and, where possible, to generalize findings.
© 2015-2018 EMPOWER Consortium
Funding for the EMPOWER project has been provided by Horizon2020 Programme from the European
Commission
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Document Information
Main author
Name
Partner
Address
Phone
Email
Tineke Hof
TNO
Kampweg 5, Soesterberg, The Netherlands
+31 88 86 65950
[email protected]
Deliverable
Work Package
WP Name
Deliverable
Name
1
Interventions and behavioural responses
D1.1
Systematic review of positive incentive-based interventions for sustainable
urban mobility behaviour change
History
Version
V0.1
V1.0
Date
Changes
2015-08-25
Table of content created and plan for D1.1 designed
2015-0910
2015-1130
2015-1204
2015-1210
Chapter 1 and 2 created
2015-1218
Chapter 3 created; Chapter 1 and 2 revised and completed
Chapter 3 revised and completed; Chapter 4 created
Chapter 4 revised and completed; Summary completed and draft report
distributed for internal review
Final version
Distribution
Date
2015-12-10
2015-12-14
2015-12-21
Recipients
Action
EMPOWER internal reviewers
Draft for comment
EMPOWER partners
Draft for comment
EC
Submission of finalized report
Document Change Record
Date
Version
Author
Change Details
C
Overview of Deliverable
Deliverable
no:
C
Deliverable
Name:
Systematic review of
positive interventions for
sustainable urban mobility
behaviour change
Deliverable Type:
Report
Deliverable Format:
1
C
Authors
Name
Partner
Email
Main Author
Contributing Author
Contributing Author
Contributing Author
Contributing Author
Contributing Author
Tineke Hof
Tiago Fioreze
Remco Wijn
Tom Thomas
Amelia Huang
Anita Cremers
TNO
University of Twente
TNO
University of Twente
University of Twente
TNO
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Reviewer1
Benjamin
Groenewolt
University of Twente
[email protected]
Reviewer 2
Hanna Hüging
Wuppertal Institute
[email protected]
rg
2
Abstract
This document presents the state-of-the-art regarding positive incentive-based
interventions for travel behaviour change, focussing on sustainable modes of
transport, such as walking, cycling, public transport use, and car-pooling. This is
a deliverable within Work Package 1 (WP1) of the EMPOWER project. This
systematic review addresses the effectiveness of positive incentive-based
interventions and relates the findings to underlying behavioural mechanisms
and employed behaviour change techniques. Based on this review, we highlight
several valuable findings and good practices that can potentially be employed
in the four EMPOWER living labs experiments.
3
WP 3
Relation to other WPs
This deliverable helps to pinpoint potential user groups and accompanying
attractive value propositions.
This deliverable supports the development of attractive and
effective services, products and offers.
This deliverable provides the Living Lab managers an overview of the
effectiveness of several different types of positive incentive-based
interventions.
WP 4
WP 5
4
Challenges and Risks
5
Deviations from the proposal (positive and negative)
The findings from this systematic review were to diverse to synthesize these
into one model.
6
Dissemination Activities - proposed or actual
Activity e.g.
conference
presentation,
Target Audience
workshop,
publication
Chapters 1, 2, 3 and
4 will be submitted
as scientific article
Scientific community
to a peer-reviewed
journal
1
Feedback from testing (if
applicable)
N.a.