Nudging commuters: shaping Jaipur metro redership through behavioural interventions

Abstract

Urban transportation systems in fast-growing cities are grappling with challenges including traffic congestion, pollution and underuse of public transportation facilities. Traditional interventions, such as road-widening or construction of new roads, are typically high-cost, and time-consuming. As a result, behavioural nudging has emerged as an attractive, cost-effective and scalable strategy for changing travel behaviours and promoting sustainable mobility. Nudges, small changes to the way that choices are presented, can be effective in moving commuter preferences without imposing strict mandates or large infrastructural changes. This study investigates the effect of behavioural nudge in influencing metro ridership in Jaipur; the metro in Jaipur, which despite being an sustainable alternative, has a ridership of a modest 50,000 passengers per day. The procedure was completed using a survey-based approach with two groups a control and experimental group. The experimental group received a cost-time comparison nudge designed to provide contextual information on metro versus other transport modes. This concept explored whether mode choice could be influenced by behavioural nudging. The study integrates behavioural economics and urban transport planning and explores the effect of information framing on commuter preference. It also considers policy backdrops like National Urban Transport Policy (2014) and Jaipur Smart City Mission. The sample is hypothetical and self-reported responses; however, the results demonstrate that nudging has the potential to significantly influence behavioural intention for sustainable travel. Key recommendations include the need for customising nudges for diverse commuter groups and considering behavioural interventions as part of a broader sustainable mobility strategy. Keywords: Behavioral Nudges, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transport, Jaipur MRTS