Influence of the built environment on taxi travel demand based on the optimal spatial analysis unit

Abstract

When discussing the influence of the built environment on taxi travel demand, few studies have considered the effect of the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) or the influence of the “5D” dimensions of the built environment (It refers to the consideration of the built environment from five dimensions of density, diversity, design, destination accessibility and distance to transit.) on taxi travel demand. Moreover, discussion of the nonlinear and linear relationships between taxi demand and environment variables is also lacking. To address these gaps, we constructed a “5D” dimension index system of built environment variables. The influence of the MAUP on the model results was discussed using the optimal parameter-based geographical detector (OPGD) model, and the optimal spatial analysis unit was selected. The OPGD and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) models were used to reveal the influence of different dimensions of the built environment on taxi travel demand from global and local perspectives, respectively. Finally, the central urban area of Xi’an was analyzed as an example. The results show the following: (1) Most built environment variables are sensitive to the influence of MAUP. (2) It is better to divide the space into regular hexagons than squares, and the optimal spatial analysis unit in this study is a regular hexagon grid with sides of 900m. (3) From a global perspective, the distance to the city center, commercial residence POI density, transportation facility POI density, and population density have the greatest influence on the demand for taxi travel. (4) From a local perspective, the MGWR model considering spatial heterogeneity and scale differences is superior to the GWR model, and the influence of built environment variables exhibited spatial heterogeneity. The proposed optimal spatial analysis unit can provide a basis for taxi demand forecasting and scheduling. This study provides a reference for urban planners and traffic managers to offer optimization strategies related to the built environment, promote healthy development of the taxi industry, and solve the problems of the urban transportation system.

Mapping urban well-being with Quality Of Life Index (QOLI) at the fine-scale of grid data

“…The grid used in this study is the same as that used in the European Census data, which allows for reliable per capita analysis. The literature indicates that small grids of 1 km 2 , both square and hexagonal, are safe solutions to the MAUP (Modified Areal Unit Problem) 45 and that this type of territorial division does not affect the estimation results 46 , 47 . Larger grids may interfere with the estimation, especially in cities of irregular shape.…”

Exploring the Impacts of COVID-19 and Lockdown on Online Car-Hailing Travel in Shanghai

“…The MAUP was first addressed by Openshaw [37] in 1984: "The areal units (zonal objects) used in many geographical studies are arbitrary, modifiable, and subject to the whims and fancies of whoever is doing, or did, the aggregating". Some scholars have conducted research [38,39] based on online car-hailing data in the context of MAUP. Approaches to handle the MAUP include simply acknowledging its presence and performing multiscale and multizonal system analyses.…”