Reducing Vehicle Travel for the Next Generation: Lessons from the 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Surveys

Abstract

In the United States, per capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) displayed a general declining trend in the new millennium. This paper focuses on identifying the factors that drove the recent VMT trend. Using sample data from the 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Surveys (NHTS), this study investigated differences in travel patterns by age groups over time and explored factors associated with the recent decrease in per-capita VMT. The study results show that the daily auto mileage and number of auto trips significantly decreased in 2009, although the change was uneven across different age groups. Increased travel by public transit and walking and biking, along with urbanization efforts, partly explained the recent decrease in automobile use. The findings also suggest that population-specific strategies such as improving public transit services for younger people and upgrading walking facilities for the elderly may help reduce automobile travel demand. In addition, applications of information and communication technologies (ICTs) can offer promising alternatives to automobile travel.