The concept of city management, which is urban logistics, “treats the city as a socially urbanized area, being a place of trade, whose economic infrastructure should be used intelligently”. Urban logistics should therefore lead to the improvement of logistics processes within the city, and these improvements should maximize the degree of satisfaction of city users, contributing to its development, which is the overriding goal.
The constant development of motorization contributes to the excessive burden on the linear transport network, which intensifies the competition of its users for access to it under conditions of limited capacity. This is largely due to the fact that movements carried out in cities (both of people and cargo) are usually not subject to coordination processes, which leads to social conflicts over access to infrastructure and unhindered movement.
Analyzing the way of moving is an introduction to the process of shaping transport behavior, which is a considerable challenge for the authorities of modern cities. A very important aspect is the constant increase in the awareness of their users regarding the threats associated with the increase in the share of individual movements during urban travel. Therefore, it is appropriate to make attempts leading to a reduction in the share of cars in urban travel while simultaneously increasing the share of public transport and non-motorized traffic (for example, bicycles). These actions will primarily contribute to improving living conditions in cities, thereby increasing their attractiveness.
Transport behavior of city users
Behavior is an expression of the adaptation of organisms to the environment. Behavior is an action. In a broad sense, this concept can mean any reaction to environmental stimuli or the totality of reactions and attitudes of a living organism to the environment, while in a narrower sense it means a reaction or a set of complex and purposeful reactions that make up activities and actions.
Human behavior can also be defined as coordinated conduct in relation to a given environment at a specific time, which is aimed at achieving intended goals. Human behavior is the result of external stimuli, to which we react in a certain (individual for each unit) way.
Every human unit has the ability to learn. It is a process that leads to a relatively permanent change in real behavior or its potential and which is based on experience. Learning cannot be observed directly – it is evidenced, among other things, by an increase in the level of performing specific reactions. The possibility (potential) of changing behavior can be obtained as a result of acquiring a certain set of attitudes and values that can influence the decisions made by citizens – including decisions about the way of moving in cities. For a change in behavior or behavioral potential to be accepted as “learned”, it must be characterized by relative durability and manifest itself on various occasions. It is important, however, that relatively permanent changes in human behavior are not always permanent changes – therefore, the learning process cannot be a short-term or one-off process. Behaviors can be shaped by successive approximations – this means reinforcing all reactions that gradually approach, until they finally become completely similar to the desired reaction.
The transport behavior of city users is conditioned by many factors. These include, among others, spatial development or the distance between the places of activity and life of city users. These factors are a source of transport needs and are a premise for their satisfaction. City users can satisfy their travel needs on foot, by means of individual transport or public transport. Individual types of movement within urban travel depend on many factors, such as: demographic aspects, urban infrastructure, mobility of residents, the impact of modes of transport on the city environment. Moving of city residents on foot is a very beneficial solution, both for the pedestrian and for the environment. This type of movement is unfortunately the least practiced solution in modern times, which is caused by the appearance of an increasing number of motor vehicles. Another way of satisfying the travel needs of residents in cities is travel by individual transport. Unfortunately, this way of moving is associated with a negative impact on the urban environment, high fuel consumption and inefficient use of linear transport infrastructure. In the urban transport system, public transport plays a special role due to its importance for the proper functioning of the city from a social and economic point of view. It plays an increasingly important role in the mobility of societies, especially in developed countries, as an effective remedy for the growing motorization rate and burdensome congestion of road networks. It is important that the public transport system operates effectively and is open to the diverse needs of its customers. Movements of people in cities are carried out both in an obligatory and optional manner – the choice between the mentioned modes of transport is made, among other things, according to parameters such as: punctuality, price, travel comfort, reliability or frequency.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 5/2010.