The role of behavioral insights in flat-fare public transport tickets: an empirical analysis based on the EAST framework

Abstract Drawing on the example of a novel flat-fare public transport ticket, this study explores the potential of behavioral insights to contribute to the success of traditional policy instruments. The ticket is evaluated using the EAST framework to identify attributes that are aligned with recommendations from behavioral science. The impact of these attributes on the decision to use the ticket is analyzed with a representative survey of German citizens. The results highlight the importance of nonmonetary attributes for using the ticket, especially those that are associated with simplicity and flexibility. These behaviorally aligned attributes are found to be particularly important for new subscribers and to differ in relevance for respondents of different income groups. Notably, a ‘flat-rate bias’ is indicated by a discrepancy between the stated importance of relevant attributes and stated usage. The study underscores the necessity for policymakers to integrate behavioral insights into the design of public transport policies.