Predictors of public transportation in Mashhad: A population-based study

BACKGROUND: The development of public transportation (PT) is a crucial issue in the modern societies. The aim of this study was to assess the status of PT usage among the population residing in Mashhad. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional design, 464 citizens of Mashhad filled a checklist about PT-use (i.e., bus, taxi, and metro) to find their supporting and opposing factors in 2014. Chi-square, Mann–Whitney, Student's t-test, and logistic regressions were used for inferential analysis in SPSS 11.5. RESULTS: Mean age was 30.02 ± 11.24 years and 57% (263) were female. Bus (169, 50%) was the most popular PT means, followed by metro (98, 29%) and taxi (74, 21%). Most transportations were happened at morning (248, 35%) and evening (221, 31%). Increasing age (odds ratio [OR] =1.04, confidence interval [CI] 95% = 1.008–1.07), higher education (OR = 2.91, CI 95% = 1.14–7.38), being homemaker (OR = 2.97, CI 95% = 1.19–7.36), or student (OR = 2.91, CI 95% = 1.14–7.38) were predictors of PT-use. CONCLUSION: Individual preference between PT and driving is associated with social, economic, and cultural aspects of a population. Recognizing the influencing factors can help to design population-oriented services.