Does commute duration attenuate the effect of travel mode choice on commute satisfaction?

Many studies have found that both the chosen travel mode and travel duration have a strong effect on travel satisfaction. However, travel mode and duration are often related with each other, as active trips often have shorter durations than trips with motorized modes. As a result, the effect of travel mode choice on travel satisfaction may be attenuated by travel duration. Results from this study, using a sample of 1,430 respondents from Ghent (Belgium), indicate that commute mode and commute duration are strongly related with each other (with active trips having shorter durations than public transport trips), and that they both influence commute satisfaction. However, results from two-way ANOVAs and regression analyses indicate that duration has a stronger effect than travel mode and that the effect of travel mode is mainly moderated by duration. After controlling for duration, we only found a negative effect of car frequency on commute satisfaction. Satisfaction differences between active travelers and public transport users are mainly explained by short active trips and long public transport trips. As a result, policy measures trying to increase travel satisfaction should not focus on a modal shift away from public transport, but on decreasing (perceived) travel time of public transport trips.