Kesan Variasi Harga Minyak Terhadap Corak Perjalanan Pelajar Institusi Pengajian Tinggi

Abstract

In Malaysia, most of the studies conducted on the effects of increase in fuel prices have focused on a group of people who have a regular monthly income. Little attention is given to the younger generation without income, especially among students in higher education. Malaysian students are also among the highest group of people who make daily trips. The increase in fuel prices has also increased the daily cost of students and can affect their daily commute. This study aims to examine the specific effects of the increase in the prices of fuel on the travel patterns of young people in higher education institutions. A total of 596 respondents among university students were involved in this study, which selected randomly from public and private universities in Malaysia. By focusing on the patterns of travel before and after the increase in fuel prices, the respondents were asked to fill out a questionnaire related to their weekly trip activities. From the survey conducted, there are variations in the choice of transport mode for educational purposes and personal activities of the respondents. Among the preferred mode of transport include driving cars, riding bikes, walking and taking public services. However, the highest mode of transport of the movement of respondents from residential areas to campus based on the weekly frequencies are walking and driving cars. Whereas, for personal purposes, students are most likely to prefer driving cars. Research shows, the rise in fuel prices do not provide a significant change to the travel patterns of the respondents. However, slight changes in the pattern of respondents’ travel have occurred, such as the reduction in the frequency of personal vehicle used and the increase in the frequency of sharing the vehicle.