Modal share
Modal share is the proportion of trips or freight moved by a particular transport mode, such as walking, cycling, rail, or road.
Transportation mode: A category of transport distinguished by its vehicle, infrastructure, or operating method. Modal share divides trips or freight among these categories.
Mode choice: The process by which a traveller selects among available transport options. Individual choices aggregate into observed modal shares.
Sustainable urban mobility: Urban transport planning that seeks accessible travel while reducing environmental and social costs. Mode-share targets are commonly used to track sustainable mobility goals.
Mode split: The distribution of travel among transport modes, often presented as percentages or counts. It is commonly used as a near-synonym, though definitions may differ across reports.
Transport emissions: Pollutants and greenhouse gases released by vehicles and transport operations. Changing the mode mix can alter emissions, depending on vehicle efficiency and occupancy.
Person-trip: A movement by one person from one place to another, counted as a unit in transport analysis. Passenger modal share often counts person-trips rather than vehicles.
Travel survey: A study that collects information about people's journeys, modes, purposes, and travel conditions. Surveys estimate trip shares when administrative counts are incomplete.
Transport planning: The process of shaping transport systems, services, and infrastructure to meet future needs. Planners use mode shares to diagnose travel patterns and compare scenarios.
Vehicle occupancy: The number of people carried in a vehicle during a journey. A vehicle-based share can obscure how many travelers cars actually carry.
Road traffic injury: Physical harm caused by collisions involving road users and vehicles. A shift toward walking or cycling changes exposure and safety requirements.