Background Putrajaya is the federal government administrative centre of Malaysia with a land area of 49 km². Due to its unique role as an administrative centre, residential area, commercial district, education hub and tourist spot, its daytime population has reached more than 500 000 people. Traffic congestion has inevitably become a major concern and the relevant authorities are being challenged to achieve its vision of 70% of public transport share for its core precincts.

Objectives In this study, the travel demand of the commuters in Putrajaya under the effect of economic factors, demand control measures and implication of accident occurrence were assessed.

Methods Revealed Preference and Stated Preference Survey was performed in 2010 over a 3 months period. A total of 1200 respondents were approached and interviewed in a face-to-face situation. A multinomial logit (MNL) model was then developed based on the data collected.

Results The results suggest that demand constraint measures play a crucial role in achieving the goal of 30 : 70 car and public transport share apart from economic factors. Nevertheless, compatible service quality of public transport system needs to be in place before the implementation of pricing measures as improper planning could lead to potential shift of car users to motorcycle use given the fact that motorcycle is more flexible and convenience as compared to public transport.

Significance of the Study This study provides substantial considerable values for the relevant authorities to understand the commuter's preference and thereby designing effective transportation policies in realising its vision.