The association of trip distance with walking to reach public transit: Data from the California Household Travel Survey

Abstract

Introduction Use of public transit is cited as a way to help individuals incorporate regular physical activity into their day. As a novel research topic, however, there is much we do not know. The aim of this analysis was to identify the correlation between distance to a transit stop and the probability it will be accessed by walking. We also sought to understand if this relation was moderated by trip, personal or household factors. Methods Data from the 2012 California Household Travel Survey was used for this cross-sectional analysis. 2,573 individuals were included, representing 6,949 transit trips. Generalized estimating equations modeled the probability of actively accessing public transit as a function of distance from origin to transit stop, and multiple trip, personal and household variables. Analyses were conducted in 2014 and 2015. Results For each mile increase in distance from the point of origin to the transit stop, the probability of active access decreased by 12%. With other factors held equal, at two miles from a transit stop there is a 50% chance someone will walk to a stop versus non-active means. The distance-walking relation was modified by month the trips were taken. Conclusions Individuals appear to be willing to walk further to reach transit than existing guidelines indicate. This implies that for any given transit stop, the zone of potential riders who will walk to reach transit is relatively large. Future research should clarify who transit-related walkers are, and why some are more willing to walk longer distances to transit than others.

Moving Toward Active Lifestyles: The Change of Transit-Related Walking to Work From 2009 to 2017

“…Moreover, for transit stations in low-income areas, policymakers should consider expand the catchment areas for the walking access to serve those moving farther because of the increased housing prices. 1 This study found that high population density areas were positively associated with walking to/from transit to work in both 2009 and 2017, which is consistent with previous studies. 10 High-density areas may feature mixed land use and sufficient pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, 24,25 providing a walker-friendly environment with multiple daily destinations to support walking behaviors.…”

“…Public transportation has identified as the means of integrating transit-related physical activity into regular life. 1 Instead of providing point-to-point travel service, taking public transit requires users to take the trip to the transit station and the trip to the destination. 2,3 Therefore, the additional trips provide travelers the opportunity to achieve at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day to meet the recommended guidelines of 150 minutes of physical activity per week.…”

Relationships between Lifestyle, Living Environments, and Incidence of Hypertension in Japan (in Men): Based on Participant’s Data from the Nationwide Medical Check-Up

“…Previous studies have shown that the landscape of a living environment, availability of good footpaths, daily means of transportation, accessibility to shops, and altitude can influence the time that people spend for walking [15–19]. Based on this consideration, we used the number of rail stations per 100 km 2 of habitable land ("stations"), standard-vehicle usage ("standard-vehicle"), light-vehicle usage ("light-vehicle"), and steepness of habitable land ("slope") as variables for which data aggregated per prefecture was available.…”

Relationship between train users’ perceptions of walkability with access and egress mode choice

“…Among these measures there is a focus on walking distance [1][2][3]. Distance to transit together with density, diversity, (street) design, and distance to destination are an urban form attributes known as 5 D's used when verify the effect of built environment on walking and cycling [4].…”