Citation

Ferguson E. Transp. Res. Rec. 1995; 1496: 142-150.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Carpooling may be defined as shared ride trips via private automobiles for the journey to and from work. In the past, researchers argued that carpoolers could not be distinguished from other commuters based on demographic characteristics. Recently, some researchers have cited the influx of women in the work force and the continuing suburbanization of jobs and housing as reasons for the sharp decline in carpooling between 1980 and 1990. A review of significant research on carpooling over the past 20 years is presented with an in-depth analysis of 1990 Nationwide Personal Transportation Study data to identify the demographics of carpooling, then and now. Prior research suggests that family income, gender, distance to work, and residential location have the greatest effect on carpool formation. This study suggests that automobile availability within households and the level of education of individual commuters may be more significant factors in carpool formation. The research shows that (a) family income has little direct effect on carpool formation other than at the lowest income levels, (b) family income does affect automobile ownership, which partially determines auto availability, (c) gender has little direct effect on the formation of nonhousehold carpools, and (d) women are more likely to form household-based carpools in families with children, particularly very young children.

Language: en

Keywords

Automobiles; Research; Motor transportation; Statistical methods; Economic and social effects