Analyzing Transport Policies in Developing Countries with ABM

TL;DR

This paper uses agent-based modeling to analyze how transport policies affect travel behavior and urban transportation outcomes in developing countries, providing insights into policy impacts on public transit use and environmental factors.

Contribution

It introduces an agent-based simulation framework tailored to developing country contexts for evaluating transport policies and their effects on travel behavior.

Findings

Free-fare policy increases public transit use

Transport policies reduce pollution and accidents

Travel speed improves with policy implementation

Abstract

Deciphering travel behavior and mode choices is a critical aspect of effective urban transportation system management, particularly in developing countries where unique socio-economic and cultural conditions complicate decision-making. Agent-based simulations offer a valuable tool for modeling transportation systems, enabling a nuanced understanding and policy impact evaluation. This work aims to shed light on the effects of transport policies and analyzes travel behavior by simulating agents making mode choices for their daily commutes. Agents gather information from the environment and their social network to assess the optimal transport option based on personal satisfaction criteria. Our findings, stemming from simulating a free-fare policy for public transit in a developing-country city, reveal a significant influence on decision-making, fostering public service use while positively influencing pollution levels, accident rates, and travel speed.