Exploration of Long-Distance Interregional Commuting Issues: Analysis of Northern California Interregional Commuters Using Census Data and Focus Group Interviews

Abstract

Recent national and local travel surveys indicate substantial increases in types of travel that are not well explained by most applications of traditional travel demand models. Understanding phenomena such as nonwork travel, the travel patterns of nontraditional households, or long-distance interregional commuting requires new basic research. A promising approach to primary travel demand research was developed and is described. A case study of interregional commuting in Northern California that combined quantitative analysis of census and travel survey data with focus group techniques is presented. Census data provided the basis for defining various types of commuters; the characteristics of these types were then elaborated via the focused interviews including “rolling focus groups” aboard commuter vans. Approximately 40 commuters were interviewed in depth. The interviews illuminated important issues that clarify the census and travel survey data. The findings indicate that an affordable single-family home is the primary motivation of interregional commuters; a variety of personal, household, and schedule adaptations make commuting palatable; and key prerequisites for interregional commuting include a job and lifestyle that permit adherence to a routine. Interregional commuters appear to be good candidates for shared-ride modes.