Resumen
This paper investigates the impact of smartphone on travel outcome that uses data from a web-based survey conducted in Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia in 2015. Following a Latent Class Modelling (LCM) Approach, the study analyses the change in vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) as an influence of smartphone use and how this change differentiates among different socio-demographic groups, residential locations and life-style strata.Vehicle kilometres travelled has been examined on three choice contexts: smartphone use had i) reduced VKT ii) no impact on VKT and iii) increased VKT. The model identifies two classes based on socio-demographic characteristics where Class 1 can be characterized as student and young professionals, whose annual income is less than CAD 15K, female population with part-time or full-time employment and who are not full-time student. To facilitate the discussion, Class 1 has been branded as ?Tech-Savvy? and Class 2 of the model as ?Non Tech-Savvy?. Results suggest that variation exists between Tech-Savvy and Non Tech-Savvy group. For example, in the Tech-Savvy group, the novice smartphone users have less probability of reduction in kilometres travelled compared to the other group, whereas in the Non Tech-Savvy group, the probability of substitution increases for the novice users. Determinants that can reduce VKT because of smartphone use are: higher use of smartphones for online shopping, active transportation as primary mode, home to work/school distance, pro-environment attitude, etc. This study offers important insights and could be useful for transport policy making.