• bicycle
• bus
• car
• choices
• commuters
• pollution
• replicator dynamics
• sustainable transportation
• transit

The issue of transportation is of primary importance in our societies. 90% of air pollution is caused by means of transport, and 1.3 million people die each year for road casualties. In the present work, we study commuter choice between alternative transport modes using two evolutionary-game models. In the first one, commuters have the choice between using their private car or the bus, whereas in the second one they can choose between private car and bicycle. Assuming an homogeneous urban population, we model the payoffs of agents making different choices and we study the replicator dynamics of the system. We obtain a different number of equilibriums depending of the values of the parameters of the model. We then carry out comparative-static exercises and examine empirical evidence of the possible policy intervention that can be implemented in order to modify the agents’ payoff, and consequently the equilibriums of the system, bringing society to more sustainable transportation patterns. We conclude with policy recommendations and possible directions to extend the present analysis.