Does Urban form Affect Motorcycle Use? Evidence from Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

Motorcycles dominate urban road traffic across Asia. We analyse how urban form influences preferences for motorcycle use, using a multinomial logistic regression model and data from a recent field study in the metropolitan area of Yogyakarta. We find that urban form explains about 20% of the observed variance in transport mode choice and that population density has a statistically significant positive effect on the likelihood of using a motorcycle for commuting. In addition, we find that the likelihood of choosing a motorcycle over other transport modes is highest for individuals living at intermediate distances from the city centre and that, in comparison with other transport modes, motorcycle use is most sensitive to travel distance. Our results suggest that a compact urban form, including a high population density and short commuting distances, may help in reducing the growth of motorcycle use in urban areas.