Gender-based heterogeneous choice behavior towards sustainable modes in the urban and rural areas of a developing society

Abstract

Gender equity and the development of sustainable cities and communities are two critical aspects of the sustainable development goals (SDG). In this expanding globe, women make up half of the world population. Women explore every element of modern life, including education, economics, and public welfare, on an equal basis with males. Even though women are more aware of their education, profession, and societal norms, gender gaps persist due to a lack of equality and opportunities. A long-term, equitable plan is essential to meet traffic demand effectively and efficiently in today's environment. However, academics and planners have paid less attention to women's concerns in most cases. Furthermore, better-informed transportation policy and planning with appropriate (sustainable) modes of transport are undoubtedly required for the sustainable growth of cities. Sustainable transportation should be designed in such a way that it benefits both men and women equally. This study intends to explain how to boost the use of sustainable transportation in developing countries, regardless of gender or demographic changes, in order to accomplish the SDGs. To attain the goals, the research identified several objectives. One of the primary purposes of this study is to look into the challenges that women and men experience when choosing sustainable transportation options. Additional research objectives include determining the relationship between various factors impacting mode choice patterns and making additional recommendations to transportation authorities and planners for future planning. A significant correlation was formed among variables that describe the relationship between the factors that influenced mode choice behavior, particularly in the field of sustainable transportation, for achieving the study's goals. This study was carried out using the Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) approach. The network was built on the foundation of previous research findings and expert knowledge. The data for this study came from four different Bangladeshi cities. The researchers did not collect the data directly; instead, a secondary source was operated to acquire data. The data was processed before being imported into the software. The analysis was done with GeNIe software. The PC algorithm, which is based on conditional independence, was used to create the Bayesian network. The expectation-maximization approach and sensitivity analysis were used to obtain the posterior probability for all variables using the Bayesian network. Finally, multiple results were obtained from the network. Location, marital status, vehicle ownership, age, and the state of the pickup location, according to the model, are the most important characteristics that determine sustainable mode choice. In addition, the mode selection process is influenced by gender and harassment on public transit. The most crucial factor to consider when choosing a mode is safety and security. In other cases, however, the cost of travel is considered while selecting a means of transportation. Apart from that, persons with personal automobiles always prefer personal vehicles in urban settings; nevertheless, in rural locations, this preference shifts. NMV has a considerable effect on mode selection patterns. People who do not have access to a personal vehicle prefer NMVs in both rural and urban areas. In this case, however, females in metropolitan areas favor public transportation. To sum up, adequate NMV lanes should be designed so that people can move around smoothly and sustainable development goals of using sustainable transport are met. The public transportation system can be improved in order to increase the number of people who use it. "Gender-balanced budget," which can lessen or eliminate gender bias, should be supplied for the gender-based perspective. Furthermore, programs such as "Safe Route to School" can be established to assist women in walking more readily and accessing educational, career, and other possibilities.