Understanding behavioral intentions in urban travel reservation: a combined model of rational motivation and social norms

The travel reservation strategy (TRS) is more flexible and refined than traditional traffic demand management methods. There is limited research discussing the implementation of travel reservations during peak hours for congested bottleneck roads in urban areas. Furthermore, previous studies have not explored the behavioral intentions of urban residents regarding travel reservations. This study explored the essential psychological characteristics affecting travelers’ acceptance of TRS and the potential causal relationships between these variables. We proposed the Tech-Norm-Behavior Integration model that integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior, Technology Acceptance Model, and Norm Activation Model to examine travelers’ intentions to use travel reservations driven by rational and normative motivations. We used the structural equation model to verify the integrated model's validity. The results demonstrate that personal norms significantly impact behavioral intentions, followed by attitude and perceived behavioral control. It confirms that TRS is a prosocial traffic demand management strategy have significant mediating effects.