TRANSPORT MODE CHOICE AMONG OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS IN A HILLY ENVIRONMENT: THE CASE OF AIZAWL, INDIA

In recent years, the transport mode choice of students of higher educational institutions has become a subject of increasing interest. Investigating the modal choice of students, who form a considerable section of the population, is crucial for sustainable urban transport planning and understanding the quality of life of students. Reviews of previous studies have indicated that hilly cities in less developed countries are neglected in transportation studies. The present paper investigates the travel behaviour of non-local, off-campus college students in Aizawl – a fast-growing hilly city in northeast India. The study found that transport mode choices are influenced by interrelated factors, including socio-economic background, demographic, availability of transport mode and location of housing. It was also found that walking and public buses are the most preferred modes of commuting among the studied college students. Female students who rent houses near their colleges are more likely to walk than their male counterparts. On the other hand, male students belonging to high-income families tended to travel by private vehicles from their residences, which are located relatively far away from colleges. The study argues for the enhancement of the intake capacity of residential hostels inside the campus to improve the growing transport problem of off-campus students in the city.