Voluntary Travel Behavior Change Programs in Australia: The Carrot Rather Than the Stick in Travel Demand Management.

This article reviews the implementation of programs for voluntary travel behavior change (VTBC) in Australia as an important initiative in the search for more sustainable urban transport systems. It provides a focus on the current research aimed at developing and applying suitable tools for the evaluation of VTBC projects through the identification of the benefits and impacts of VTBC and the development of survey methodologies for measuring small-scale changes in travel behavior. The methodologies require the use of advanced survey techniques and new data collection technology, with the use of GPS by survey respondents being an important innovation. A substantial national program for VTBC is now under way in Australia, with a basic objective of seeking substantial reductions in individuals' use of private vehicles and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]