高速公路用路人使用電子收費系統選擇行為之研究

Abstract

傳統的人工收費除了容易在車流密集時段造成收費站壅塞、用路人旅行時間增加之外，亦會使得高速公路整體服務水準(LOS)降低。為了改進人工收費之缺失，台灣地區高速公路正積極推動電子收費系統之建置與營運，依規劃將分為兩階段實施，初期為人工與電子收費方式並存之計次收費階段，後期則轉換為全面實施電子收費之計程收費階段。然而，無論計次電子收費方式或計程電子收費方式，用路人皆須於個人車輛上裝設車內設備單元才可行駛電子收費車道，而用路人對於車內設備單元的接受程度，將對電子收費系統營運成敗有很大的影響。深入了解高速公路用路人之選擇行為特性為一值得探討的問題。 本研究首先對國內外電子收費系統發展情形作一回顧與評析，並依據ETC之建置營運計畫研擬我國實施電子收費後，用路人在不同收費機制下，對於車內設備單元的替選方案。其次以二階段方式進行問卷調查與資料分析，利用敘述性偏好法設計問卷，並構建用路人對於車內設備單元之選擇行為模式，分析用路人選擇行為特性。最後，本研究進行重要影響因素之敏感度分析，且分析預估不同情境下之使用率。此外，並進行ETC營運者行銷策略之研擬與評估。 本研究以小型車用路人為研究對象，在計次電子收費階段之替選方案有購買車內設備單元、不購買車內設備單元；在計程電子收費階段之替選方案有購買車內設備單元、租用車內設備單元。研究結果顯示，在計次電子收費階段，車內設備單元之安全性、通過收費站可節省時間、購置費用、產品可使用年限、用路人使用高速公路頻率、每月平均所得、及教育程度等變數會顯著影響用路人對於車內設備單元之選擇行為；在計程電子收費階段，購置費用、租用車內設備單元之租金、租用車內設備單元之保證金、產品可使用年限、用路人使用高速公路頻率，及每月平均所得等變數會顯著影響用路人對於車內設備單元之選擇行為。研究結果可供政府主管機構與ETC營運者之參考。

Traffic congestion frequently occurs in the freeway toll station areas during the rush hours, under existing fare collection system, which not only increase travel time of road users, but also reduce overall level of service of the freeway system. In order to improve these disadvantages, electronic toll collection (ETC) system is being established and will be operated soon. According to the implementation plan, both frequency-based electronic toll collection and existing manual operation will be adopted for the initial stage, and then fully automatic distance-based toll collection scheme will replace all the manual operation. However, the success of the ETC plan heavily depends on the road users’ acceptance of installation of On Board Unit (OBU). Therefore, it is worth while to explore the characteristics of choice behavior of road users in this regard. This study begins with an overall review of the developments of ETC system both inside and outside the country, choice alternatives for both stage of development is then proposed on the basis of ETC operator’s plan. A two-stage questionnaire survey is conducted to collect relevant data of road users’ choice behavior, using the stated preference method. The surveyed data are analyzed, and being used to calibrate discrete choice models. Finally, sensitivity analysis of main factors is performed to estimate the effect on choice behavior under different scenarios. In addition, several marketing strategies of ETC operator are also evaluated using the choice model. Drivers of passenger cars are selected as the scope of this study. The alternatives of frequency-based stage include equipping OBU and non-equipping OBU; the alternatives of distance-based stage include equipping OBU and renting OBU. The result shows that during the frequency-based stage, factors including the safety of OBU, the time saved by ETC user, the price of OBU, the life span of OBU, the frequency of driving on the freeway, the income and education level of the traveler, have significant influence on the choice behavior. On the other hand, during the distance-based stage, factors including the price, the rent or the deposit, the life span of OBU, the frequency of driving on the freeway, and the income of the traveler significantly affect the choice behavior. The results of this study can provide many useful information for ETC operator and the related government agencies.