(hubbub) (alarm) (hubbub) So the question that will arise today, that is to know if the travel time is a useful time or not. So if we ask this question, it is because the journey time has for long been given little attention in the scientific field of transport and which is becoming now a major issue in terms of mobility. First, what is the traditional concept of travel time in socio-economics of transport? Economic theory is most often considering time tranport as a cost of access to destinations and activities which will be performed via this route. So it has for long attributed it an economic value, monetary value which corresponds somehow to the price, in time of transport, of these activities. So, to maximize its usefulness, the individual must, in the paradigm of the rational actor, minimize travel time, to maximize its utility in the activities to be carried to its destination. So the idea behind this conceptualization, is that travel time ultimately has no value in itself. It is a kind of time that is interstitial and empty, and which therefore has no relevance as such. Of course, this design has direct implications on the choice of travel mode, since in theory thereof, if individuals are simply looking to reduce their travel time, it means that they will opt for the fastest modes of travel. Then this model has been strongly questioned and criticized both from a theoretical point of view, but also empirically. First, from a theoretical point of view. In the field of transport economics, ever since the 90s, there is researches that questioned clean utility, the primary utility of travel time and have shown that the transportation time has a positive value. Not only thanks to the activities that may be conducted during the movement, but also by the characteristics of these displacements. This is an example of the fun we have to move, to observe the landscape, etc. And then there are other disciplines, including sociology and geography, who have also invested this question and which showed that travel time could be valued for itself and even be transformed into a place of life in itself. After, there are challenges to come over the empirical. One of the reasons that made us increasingly interested in the question of travel time, it was the finding of an increase in daily travel time. Analyses traditionally for travel time, are mainly based on the assumption of constancy of what is called the "time budgets" of commuting, that is to say the time spent by people on a daily basis to move. And this time was considered to be stable in time and in space, this is what is called the Zahavi conjecture. There are several mobility surveys in Europe that have shown there was an increase in time spent traveling, we see that with the example in Great Britain, the Netherlands, France and Switzerland. Faced with this increase in time spent traveling, one can question the fact that the travel time is an empty or useless time. It is therefore to know what is played during this travel time, how we can qualify this time, do people necessarily seek to reduce it to the maximum and finally, what influence this travel time can have on the choice of modes of travel in daily life. First of all, the first question is: What we do when we move? Obviously, we move, but not only, because while we are moving, we have also all kinds of activities that have been classified by a person called Michael Flame, into five logics: productivity, relaxation and transition, sociability, escape and emotion. The logic of productivity, is found in other research, including those that describe the journey time as "rolling office" for some people, so it'll be a time that we use to work, whether in public transportation or in a car for that matter. These activities show it is not only to appropriate the time of travel, but it is also to appropriate the movement spaces. There are therefore travel spaces which can be finally processed and become a kind of extension of the domestic space, we see that very well in the great commuters, for example, who settle in the train and finish their night who begin to prepare themselves, who wear makeup, who eat breakfast, who have dinner in the evening, etc. and therefore, thus transform the space of displacement in a domestic space. Some of these logics sometimes come into conflict with each other. For example, when moving, one may want to work and thenwill cross a person he knows and thus sociability logic will contradicts productivity logic. Or there will be contradictions between rest and sociability or rest and productivity, etc. Describe the activities carried out during the journey, it does not say all of this appropriation of travel times, because we must also understand how people live and perceive this travel time. So, this perception can actually be described in the form of a continuum between, on one hand, a time that will be a time to kill and, secondly, a time which can be enjoyed. So between a very negative perception on one hand and very positive on the other. For example, we will have people telling us "I expect only to arrive. " and their travel time seems infinitely long and they will, for example, occupy it through activities who do not have special meaning for them, that just aim to kill this time they do not use. It will be, for example, playing with their smartphone or computer. At the other extreme, we see have this very positive perception of travel time which will be seen as a time which is cleared daily and will be taken in advantage of activities that people would not have had the opportunity to realize if they did not benefit from this travel time. So, these activities will not either be extraordinary, it can be simply read a book, listen to a radio show, listen to music. But this is simply the fact to say: "This is a time that is offered me in my daily life I would not benefit if I did not have to move. " Between these two extremes, we will have a time to optimize that people will fill in trying to gain time on the rest of their daily activities. Thus, for example, while eating, while working. If we try to systematize all the factors that influence the appropriation of travel times from a literature review, three main types of factors are identified. The first of these includes the material conditions. These physical conditions fall within the travel patterns as such, it will be comfort, ergonomics of these travel modes, it will be the equipment, the information we have on the way, cost issues, also. Then there will be personal conditions. These personal circumstances are. here too, many and diverse. For example, the knowledge that people have or not of the network on which they move, the fact whether they have or not motion sickness, for example, all these elements also influence how they will appropriate the transport time. And third type of elements are the situational conditions, that is to say the position in which the movement will take place. If it's a rush hour or not, if the trip conditions are good or not, according to the people with the ride, according to the objects that are also with the route, ownership of these modes will be different. What there is also to say, is finally that we know yet little things systematically on these different elements influencing the appropriation travel times. If we analyze a little literature on the subject, we realize that most studies are interested in some modes especially or situations in particular, and especially on the modes that are questioned on the issue of ownership of journey times, we finally know little about the appropriation of drive time and most studies focus on the appropriation of time to train. Which ultimately provides a very limited vision of the conditions of appropriation of these modes. In my recent research, whether on alter-mobilities or on people who travel a lot every day, we realize that this is a crucial element in the choice of travel modes and particularly in the choice of travel modes alternative to the car. These are identified through qualitative studies, by observing people and asking them about their practices, but we also notice it in links that can be established quantitatively. It will therefore be a tendency among these people, to opt for public transport in particular because it allows them to have the time available to deploy other activities. It will be people who will opt for travel time that will be objectively longer but subjectively they live in a much more pleasant way or more optimal way in their daily schedules. In conclusion, if one draws some elements to conclude, the first thing to say, is that travel time is of course a value in itself, by itself, which argues for a better knowledge of the elements involved in the ownership of these times, not only in public transport, particularly rail, but systematically on all modes of travel. Then the travel time do not systematically have to be considered as a time which is useful in the sense that we will be able to deploy other activities, but we must also address to how it is perceived and the role played by these activities in the travel time. If they come here just to feed a time perceived as useless and empty or if they come here instead as an added value to this travel time. Travel time should not be designed simply as a useful time because we are going to develop activities, but it is also important to take into account the perception of people in the fact of developing these activities. Are they going to carry out activities just to spend this time faster because they have the perception that it is a useless and too long, or if they truly enjoy this time, if they find a form of satisfaction or pleasure. This of course opens a range of opportunities for carriers to know how they can attract and retain a clientele of users so their travel time becomes quality time they can fully enjoy. (hubbub) (hubbub)
