Are young Americans carless across the United States? A spatial analysis. (January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Jun; Nambisan, Shashi; Li, Xiaobing; Fu, Xing
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 78(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-01
• Subjects: Vehicle ownership -- Young Americans -- National household travel survey -- Spatial analysis; Transportation -- Research -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 354.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2019.11.026
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1361-9209

Abstract

Highlights: This study explores the 2017 National Household Travel Survey data. This study focuses on the correlates of vehicle ownership among young Americans. Spatial approach is used to reveal the vehicle ownership correlates that vary across the country. Young adults in the Northeast states have extra-lower likelihoods of owing a vehicle. Vehicle ownership among young American is less sensitive to household income. Abstract: This study uses the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data to investigate the most recent correlates of vehicle ownership among young Americans. This study performs a spatial analysis to examine the potentially non-stationary relationships between sociodemographic factors and vehicle ownership. Consistent with previous studies, modeling results from this study showed that young Americans are more likely to be carless than older adults. The spatial analysis answers the research question – in which regions(s) young Americans are even less likely to have a car. The results highlighted the Northeast states for the young American's extra-lower vehicle ownership if the influences of all other factors are held constant. The cost of living and availability of transportation alternatives are possible reasons. Further, this study built separate models for young adults (25–34 years old) and three older age groups. The vehicle ownership correlates within the young adults are found to be generally consistent with the correlates among all adults. Among young adults, vehicle ownership is still significantly related to their gender, educational attainment, employment status, household characteristics, and travel demand. However, young adults' vehicle ownership seems to be less sensitive to household income than mid-age adults' (35–44 years old), perhaps because young people may not perceive financial stress such as child support and mortgage. This study contributes by using a spatial analysis approach to reveal the non-stationary correlates of vehicle ownership. This approach is useful for future travel behavior research and transportation policy considering the spatial heterogeneity.