Mode choice modeling for an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxi commuting service.

• We model mode choice for an on-demand air taxi commuting service and traditional modes. • Individuals who are male and frequent ridesharing users are more likely to select the air taxi. • Incorporating a distribution for the value of time (VOT) improves model fit. • Among traders, the median air taxi in-vehicle VOT is about 25 USD/hr, but 10 percent have VOTs higher than 64 USD/hr. In this study, a stated choice experiment was conducted to better understand individuals' preferences for an air taxi commute service. Random taste parameter models with panel effects were used to model the choice among: (1) traditional auto, (2) transit, and (3) air taxi. We find that individuals who are male and are frequent ridesharing users are more likely to select the air taxi. A non-trader analysis of individuals who always selected the same mode across our eight stated choice scenarios showed that air taxi preferences are heterogeneous and polarized, with 14 percent always selecting air taxi and 14 percent never selecting air taxi. Among the traders, significant variation across individuals' value of time (VOT) was observed. Results based on a negative lognormal distribution show the median in-vehicle VOTs for the air taxi mode was about 25 USD/hour, but 10 percent had VOTs higher than 64 USD/hour. Our results highlight the need for future studies of potential market demand for eVTOL aircraft to incorporate the percentage of the population who will likely never consider using an air taxi, as well as the distribution of VOTs for those who will consider using this new mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]