Title

Travel Behavior Patterns of Different Socially Disadvantaged Groups Analysis of Household Travel Survey Data for a Dispersed Metropolitan Area

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2010

Subject Area

Mobility - Mobility impaired, Transport policy - Transport disadvantage, Transport policy - Disadvantage, Social Issues - Low Income, Population - Gender, Population - Education, Population - Elderly

Abstract

This paper contributes to the understanding of transport disadvantage and the transport dimensions of environmental justice by investigating the travel behavior patterns of socially disadvantaged groups by using household travel survey data. The study described in this paper goes beyond determining the basic descriptive statistics that are commonly reported in this area of research and instead uses cluster analysis to identify socially disadvantaged households. The study then uses the six clusters generated by the analysis to identify the differences in the travel behaviors between these groups. The paper shows considerable differences in travel behavior between socially disadvantaged households that must be recognized if scholars and policy makers are to describe and respond adequately to the experience of transport disadvantage for these groups. The paper concludes with some comparative observations about the travel behavior of the disadvantaged population in dispersed rapidly growing regions and the wider implications for ensuring environmental justice in transport.

Rights

Permission to publish the abstract has been given by Transportation Research Board, copyright remains with them.