Return to Transportation Consumer Research  Transportation Consumer Research    Project Summary :: 1  2  3  4  5  6   Background The Buenos Aires Commuter Rail Project was undertaken to study the ridership effects of changes in fare levels, track improvements, station improvements, station amenities, and new rolling stock for Trenes de Buenos Aires (TBA). The changes in commuter rail level of service and amenities were modeled against future changes in competing transportation modes to forecast ridership levels for all transportation modes. The proposed system changes will require approximately $900,000,000 in new investment from TBA to increase ridership and revenues on a system that presently carries over 175 million passengers per year. Project Scope •  Designed and implemented an innovative paper-based survey with future “scenario cards” that enabled respondents to visualize future alternatives based on graphical representations. •  Completed 3,000 stated preference surveys designed to collect specific data on a variety of commuter rail level of service and attribute changes. •  Estimated a nested logit model which measured commuters’ utilities for a variety of level-of-service and amenity options that TBA is considering as part of their service planning. Project Results The work indicated that increasing prices on the commuter rail system would enable TBA to buy new rolling stock and recondition existing rolling stock while increasing ridership and revenues. By purchasing new trains and keeping existing rolling stock in service, TBA will relieve the crowding on the trains which is negatively affecting current ridership. Ultimately, commuter rail ridership will increase as a result of a less crowded and more comfortable train ride, even with an increase in fares.