Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies

In light of the recent global events, such as the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, gasoline prices have soared worldwide. These fluctuations in fuel prices affect the mode choices of individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of rising fuel prices on the mode preferences of universit...

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Main Authors: Muhammad Abdullah, Nazam Ali, Muhammad Ashraf Javid, Hassan M. Al-Ahmadi, Syed Arif Hussain Shah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Sustainable Futures
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825001364
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author Muhammad Abdullah
Nazam Ali
Muhammad Ashraf Javid
Hassan M. Al-Ahmadi
Syed Arif Hussain Shah
author_facet Muhammad Abdullah
Nazam Ali
Muhammad Ashraf Javid
Hassan M. Al-Ahmadi
Syed Arif Hussain Shah
author_sort Muhammad Abdullah
collection DOAJ
description In light of the recent global events, such as the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, gasoline prices have soared worldwide. These fluctuations in fuel prices affect the mode choices of individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of rising fuel prices on the mode preferences of university students for commuting and non-commuting trips. The data was collected from various universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Hypothesis testing was conducted to determine the changes in mode choices, as well as to evaluate the impact of socio-economic demographic variables on those choices. The results indicated that, with the rising fuel prices, people shifted from private transport to sustainable transport modes for both commuting and non-commuting trips. Unlike male students, female students shifted from private transport to sustainable transport due to the current fuel price hike. Similarly, students with low and middle household income groups adopted sustainable transport, but not those with higher income. Moreover, individuals with longer commuting distances shifted to sustainable transport, whereas those with short to medium distances did not. Based on the findings of this study, pertinent policy insights have been provided for transport planners and relevant authorities.
format Article
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Sustainable Futures
spelling doaj-art-aedb731c48cf4febbe30a52d31f34e852025-08-20T02:39:58ZengElsevierSustainable Futures2666-18882025-06-01910056610.1016/j.sftr.2025.100566Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economiesMuhammad Abdullah0Nazam Ali1Muhammad Ashraf Javid2Hassan M. Al-Ahmadi3Syed Arif Hussain Shah4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Interdisciplinary Research Center for Smart Mobility and Logistics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi ArabiaIntelligent Transport Research Cluster, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Portsmouth, PO1 3HF, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar, 311, Sultanate of OmanDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Interdisciplinary Research Center for Smart Mobility and Logistics, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, 31261, Saudi ArabiaCity Pulse Pvt. Ltd., G-15 Markaz, Islamabad, PakistanIn light of the recent global events, such as the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, gasoline prices have soared worldwide. These fluctuations in fuel prices affect the mode choices of individuals. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of rising fuel prices on the mode preferences of university students for commuting and non-commuting trips. The data was collected from various universities in Lahore, Pakistan. Hypothesis testing was conducted to determine the changes in mode choices, as well as to evaluate the impact of socio-economic demographic variables on those choices. The results indicated that, with the rising fuel prices, people shifted from private transport to sustainable transport modes for both commuting and non-commuting trips. Unlike male students, female students shifted from private transport to sustainable transport due to the current fuel price hike. Similarly, students with low and middle household income groups adopted sustainable transport, but not those with higher income. Moreover, individuals with longer commuting distances shifted to sustainable transport, whereas those with short to medium distances did not. Based on the findings of this study, pertinent policy insights have been provided for transport planners and relevant authorities.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825001364Fuel pricesMode choiceStudentsSustainabilityPakistan
spellingShingle Muhammad Abdullah
Nazam Ali
Muhammad Ashraf Javid
Hassan M. Al-Ahmadi
Syed Arif Hussain Shah
Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
Sustainable Futures
Fuel prices
Mode choice
Students
Sustainability
Pakistan
title Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
title_full Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
title_fullStr Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
title_full_unstemmed Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
title_short Impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students: Some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
title_sort impacts of rising fuel prices on modal shift among university students some policy insights for sustainable transport in developing economies
topic Fuel prices
Mode choice
Students
Sustainability
Pakistan
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666188825001364
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AT muhammadashrafjavid impactsofrisingfuelpricesonmodalshiftamonguniversitystudentssomepolicyinsightsforsustainabletransportindevelopingeconomies
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