Consumer Logistics Framework for Understanding Preferences for High-Speed Rail Transportation

摘要

The prospect for high-speed rail (HSR) service for the San Francisco Los Angeles corridor and beyond first arose in the early 1980s. The enabling legislation required the California High-Speed Rail Authority to connect the states major metropolitan areas. The plan remains to connect California's major cities at a total cost of $33 to $37 billion. The purpose of this study is to reach a fuller understanding of consumer's perceptions of such a service. Consumer logistics theory is used in the study as a framework to begin to provide this understanding of consumer perceptions and to inform future efforts to develop and market HSR service. This study uses the consumer logistics framework to help understand how various demographic groups, various groups defined by public transportation usage frequency, and various groups defined by HSR usage intention level perceive various logistical aspects of HSR service. The consumer logistics framework is also used to develop a macro model that examines the relationship between performance of consumer logistics functions, perceptions of HSR travel value (consisting of travel efficiency and effectiveness), and HSR travel intention for intercity business commuters. The results show the manner and the extent to which the logistics of HSR are likely to lead to customer intentions to use it for intercity transportation and how HSR service providers, by enhancing their consumer logistics capabilities, can encourage intended HSR usage between San Francisco and Los Angeles for business commuters.