The changes of activity-travel participation across gender, life-cycle, and generations in Sweden over 30 years

Abstract

This study utilised the Swedish national travel survey covering a period of over 30 years. We investigated the long-term trends in activity-travel patterns of individuals in different life-cycle stages and generations using cohort analysis and a path model. The main findings are summarised as follows. The women, including mothers, in younger generations have become more active in out-of-home non-work activities and their trip chaining has become more complex, compared to their male counterparts. While men are still driving more than women, the gap is decreasing in the younger generations. The gender difference among teenagers in terms of out-of-home time use diminishes in younger generations. Teenagers of younger generations spend more of their leisure time inside their homes, possibly due to the rise of online activities and gaming and more time-consuming school trips, the latter attributed to changes in school choice policy. Older adults travel more, possibly due to better paratransit transport service, supported by better health services.

The trade-off behaviours between virtual and physical activities during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic period

“…At the same time, females report that they are less likely to keep their new (online) work habits. This could be explained by the fact that females’ workplaces are more likely to be located closer to home, with a type of occupation which likely requires them to be in the office more often than their male counterparts [ 49 , 50 ].…”

“…At the same time, females report that they are less likely to keep their new (online) work habits. This could be explained by the fact that females' workplaces are more likely to be located closer to home, with a type of occupation which likely requires them to be in the office more often than their male counterparts [49,50]. Being a full-time worker, as well as having a smaller reduction in the number of trips for commuting, is correlated with a higher likelihood of keeping the new work habits, compared with their counterparts.…”

Age, sex and other correlates with active travel walking and cycling in England: Analysis of responses to the Active Lives Survey 2016/17

“…Life stages heavily interact with engagement in AT, including mode (walking or cycling). AT behaviour often reflects circumstances such as household income, number of children, employment, residence options and dozens of other factors (Barnes et al, 2016;Bonham and Wilson, 2012;Clark et al, 2014;Guell et al, 2012;Jones et al, 2015;Susilo et al, 2018;Waygood et al, 2015). Many of these factors highly correlate with sex and age, which suggests that best strategies to promote AT may link to age and sex of target participants.…”

Clustering Life Course to Understand the Heterogeneous Effects of Life Events, Gender, and Generation on Habitual Travel Modes

“…Our study makes several important contributions to the literature. First, research that has explored this type of heterogeneity in the population has tended to define subpopulation segments using individual characteristics that do not change over time, such as gender or generation [26], [27]; previous mode preferences and attitude characteristics [19], [28], [29]; or life cycle stages or sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age and household structure) concurrent with life events [26], [30]. However, long-term mobility decisions depend on one's current situation, past experiences, and future plans [11], and such a dynamic and multidimensional decision context can only be revealed in a long-term life history, rather than in life cycle stages defined statically at the moment an event occurs.…”