In early 2023, the Behavioural Insights Team of Leiden University (BIT UL), part of the LU Knowledge Centre Psychology and Economic Behaviour (KCPEG), was commissioned by the LU Sustainability Office to assess the willingness of academic staff to adopt more sustainable practices in their international business travel. The specific aim was to reduce plane travel and promote the use of trains as an alternative mode of transportation. Furthermore, the team was tasked with identifying the (behavioural) factors influencing the current travel behaviour habits of academic staff. The resulting report (De Boer
and colleagues, 20231) put forth various potential policy options to promote train travel, guided by the identification of factors that either promote or inhibit such behaviour.
In this report, we present the key findings of a follow-up study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of three concrete policy options (offering first-class tickets, framing of the total travel time for plane trips, and booking assistance) devised to promote train travel. These policy options were chosen in consultation with the LU Sustainability Office, taking into account insights obtained from the previous study, as well as considerations regarding their anticipated effectiveness and feasibility of implementation.
More detailed information about the study design, statistical analyses, and results are available on request (e-mail: Emma ter Mors, emors@fsw.leidenuniv.nl).
View publication (PDF)