Potential of Using Commuting Allowance for Modal Shift to Public Transport of Government Officials: A Case Study in Vientiane, Lao PDR

Abstract

Vientiane’s public transport (PT) modal share decreased by around 70% from 2007 to 2019, and due to COVID-19, only 8 city bus routes are operating in 2023 (50% decrease from 2019). Private modes are increasing since they are reliable and comfortable, but at the cost of traffic congestion and environmental degradation. Shifting to PT is needed to reverse this trend, however, the state bus operator Vientiane State Bus Enterprise (VCSBE) is unable to improve services without financial support. This paper studies the potential of mode shift of government officials from private modes to increase PT ridership in CBD using commuting allowance policies. Statistical analysis was used to study modal choice factors of government officials. Additionally, multinomial logit regression model was used to identify commuting allowance policy preference based on sociodemographic and PT service characteristics. The model revealed specific service improvements and policy preferences to improve PT service in Vientiane.