Promoting Green Transportation in Ho Chi Minh City: A Study on Residents’ Intention to Use the Urban Railway

Abstract

This study was conducted in the context of Ho Chi Minh City, which is facing urgent issues of traffic congestion and environmental pollution. With the introduction of the urban railway system (Metro), understanding the factors influencing residents' intention to use it is crucial to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of this public transport solution. The main objective of this research is to identify and measure the impact of key factors on the intention to use the Metro. To achieve this goal, the authors employed a quantitative method through an online survey. Data were collected from 252 residents living in Ho Chi Minh City. The analysis results indicate that all five research hypotheses were accepted. The factor "Attractiveness of personal vehicles" had the strongest negative impact (β = −0.339). The factors with a positive impact included: "Perceived ease of use" (β = 0.282), "Price" (β = 0.224), "Novelty seeking" (β = 0.214), and "Environmental awareness" (β = 0.134). Based on the analysis results, the authors proposed several managerial implications to effectively encourage residents to switch to using the Metro.