Commuting, a choice or a necessity? A system dynamic simulation model for intra urban migration

Abstract

The number of commuters is one of the main determinants of traffic and pollution problems. In a growing city like Bergen, the number of commuters has been increasing dramatically. A simulation model has been built to explain the system structure behind commuter problem. This model includes intra-urban migration and job change process. The structure of this model explains how the distribution of dwelling vacancies and job vacancies influence the number of commuters. It also shows that the first time buyers are the reason why land-use policies have little effect on reducing existing commuters. This system dynamics model can be used as a tool for policy makers to understand the dynamic problem of commuter change. The simulation and projection function can also be used for policy testing when this model is joined together with a land-use model and a transportation model.