Car Use Research Articles

Gendered access to household car in China: The mediation role of subjective attitudes

Increasing women’s access to car is advocated as a key strategy to improve women’s capability to move. However, car ownership is not equal to car access and independent car use. The men-favored car distribution within the household may exist to limit women’s access to car. This paper enriches the understanding of gendered access to household car by unpacking the mediation role of subjective attitudes. Perceived necessity to use household car and confidence in driving ability are examined specifically. The results of structural equation modelling support the assumptions that in China, (a) perceived necessity increases individual access to household cars; (b) being employed and in parenthood both increase women’s perceived necessity and thus the access to household car, while men’s access to household car and perceived necessity is increased only by the employment status; and (c) women’s access to household car is reduced by their tendency to lack confidence in driving. The findings suggest that recognizing the necessity of using a car and developing the confidence to drive is essential for women to improve their automobile mobility.

The Micromobility Tendencies of People and Their Transport Behavior

Addressing transport in cities requires a change in people’s behavior and a better distribution of different transport modes’ performances—a change in the modal split. This article focuses on detailed research on the transport behaviors of residents and their attitudes towards possible changes. We developed a questionnaire and distributed it online and physically. The data came from an anonymous survey, and basic statistical methods and a correlation analysis were applied to them. One of the research tasks was to find the correlations between individual characteristics. The analysis showed that the respondents’ education influenced their opinions about transport behavior. The results showed that the most common means of shared mobility was bicycles. The paper contains detailed results regarding the use of private cars and transport behavior in general. In addition, the study presents other significant findings regarding the average number of vehicles in households, the types of vehicles, and their usage patterns. The results of our study are useful for practical applications, because they describe traffic behavior patterns and can improve future decision making and transport planning.

Does high-speed rail mitigate peak vacation car traffic to tourist city? Evidence from China

Tourist travel contributes greatly to transport problems in attractive tourist cities. To take full advantage of high-speed rail (HSR) for alleviating massive car traffic during the peak vacation period, this paper analyses the travel modes of domestic visitors to Shaoxing before and after the operation of HSR. Scenario-based comparison and a random-coefficients structure Mixed Logit (MXL) model with error components were adopted to analyze the travel mode change and the factors explaining tourists’ travel mode choices. Our findings show that the HSR modal share increased substantially at the expense of express buses, more than cars. Also, HSR was found to be less competitive than cars on toll-free days for medium short travel distances. The MXL model results indicate that HSR was more likely to be used over automobiles by young people, females, and one-destination travellers, for longer travel distances, and with high service frequency to Shaoxing. Besides, online booking services were highly associated with HSR use. Driving was favoured over HSR by higher income level groups, when travelling with family or friends, on toll-free national holidays. Current government policy to waive road tolls during the peak holiday period further induced car traffic to tourist cities. When individual taste was considered, tourists showed a similar preference in their valuation of the travel time variable, while were heterogenous in their preference for low per-distance cost. Our findings suggest that the adjustment of the road-toll policy, pre-booking design for targeted tourists, and measures to reduce the total travel time of HSR should be considered to promote HSR as well as impede the use of cars during peak periods. This study offers empirical evidence of achieving effective travel demand management and reducing car dependence through HSR and complementary measures.

Commuting to College: An Analysis of a Suburban Campus on the Outskirts of Madrid

This paper aims to analyse human mobility in a university campus on the outskirts of the Madrid region. Several surveys which were distributed to students for completion during the 2017-2018, 2018-2019, and 2021-2022 courses were examined. Both an exploration of existing transport modes using clustering techniques and a statistical analysis on trip origins, travel times, and distances were performed. Not all municipalities with the highest number of trips were the closest to the university. The clustering analysis identified a lower variability in the use ratio of the transport modes in the 2017-2018 course. The private car, which exhibited a low sharing rate, was the most utilised transport mode. This was followed by public and university transportation. Similarities between the probability distributions of journeys using public and university transports were found. High and moderate correlations between the number of the existing stops and the amount of trips by subway and urban bus were detected. The lowest median values of travel distances corresponded to students, administrative staff, teachers, and researchers who exhibited very similar values. Considering the three analysed academic years as a whole, the most likely travel times were 30–60 minutes. It was detected that a higher gross annual income did not imply higher private car use. Residents in areas with the highest ozone concentrations also exhibited a high use of motorised vehicles. A low familiarisation with car-sharing and car-pooling platforms was also found. Globally, a high level of comfort during the trip was mostly perceived.

Is a car necessary for active aging? Relationships between aging, car use, and time spent on activities that sustain health and well-being

The aging population of the Global North is increasingly car dependent, with repercussions for health and well-being. This article analyzes how car use interacts with living an active life and how this has changed over time in Sweden. National time use data were used to analyze change in two cross sections of older people (65–84 years old) over a ten-year period (2000/01–2010/11). Previous studies concentrated on the relationship between travel behavior as such and older adult’s access to driver’s licenses and cars. We offer an integrated approach that includes all daily activities as we explore the changing social distribution of car use, as well as how different levels of car use are associated with time spent on active aging activities that benefit individuals and society.We conclude that an increasing proportion of the older population in Sweden are moderate to heavy car users and identify convergence over time between car use by older women and older men. We also find that heavy car users spend more time traveling to active aging activities. At first glance, this finding suggest that older people in Sweden are dependent on a car for living an active life. However, examination of how much time is actually spent on active activities after travel time is excluded reveals that few significant differences remain. This nuances the idea that access to a car is a necessity for spending time in activities that contribute to society and to personal well-being in old age.

Analysis of Disaster Risk on Expressways for Foreign Tourists to Japan Using Rental Cars: Study Using Central Nippon Expressway Pass

The travel patterns of foreign visitors to Japan are changing from group travel, which was the mainstream to date, to individual travel, and there has been an increase in the number of cars rented by visitors as a means of transportation. The use of rental cars improves access to rural areas and is being promoted as a means of transportation. However, if a natural disaster occurs while driving a rental car, then the individual may face difficulties owing to a lack of local support. Therefore, the traffic volume on the roads used by foreign visitors to Japan during certain periods needs to be estimated in advance as well as the natural disaster risks that exist on those roads. In this study, we utilized CEP data managed by the Central Nippon Expressway Company in Japan to identify the risk of disaster for foreign visitors to Japan who use expressways with rental cars. The CEP data has usage records of foreign visitors to Japan who used rental cars on expressways in the Chubu region of Japan during the period from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019. Using this data, we calculated the risk of earthquake and landslide disasters. Result of this analysis, it is clear that the risk of earthquake disasters is high on expressways in the Tokai region, and the risk of landslide disasters is high on expressways in mountainous areas.

P-228 Use of cilta-cel CAR T cells following previous use of a BCMA-directed CAR T-cell product in heavily treated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a single institution case series

P-228 Use of cilta-cel CAR T cells following previous use of a BCMA-directed CAR T-cell product in heavily treated patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: a single institution case series

Differences in walking and cycling between professional immigrants and comparable ethnic Dutch: A quantitative analysis from the Netherlands

Active travel (e.g. walking and cycling) is encouraged in the Netherlands for the many environmental and health benefits it offers, and, as a result, the country has among the highest rates of cycling in the world. This is at least partially attributed to investments in cycle infrastructure. Yet few other countries have followed the Netherlands lead and invested similarly, and arguments are made that the Dutch life experience and culture are also important in encouraging walking and cycling. To examine the influence mobility culture on active travel behaviour, this study assesses similarities and differences in walking and cycling between a sample of professional immigrants living in the Netherlands’ Randstad region and a socio-demographically comparable sample born and raised in the Netherlands. The study found both similarities and differences in walking and cycling between professional immigrants and ethnic Dutch, with the immigrants actually walking and cycling more than the ethnic Dutch. In order to identify factors that influenced preferences to and levels of walking and cycling, a multiple linear regression analysis of dichotomous and ordinal variables based on their polychoric correlations was applied. Findings show that socio-demographic characteristics, car and bicycle access and trip purpose have a significant effect on the active travel behaviour of the two population groups. In addition, findings demonstrate that car access and use is associated with reduced active travel mode use. However, the reasons and causes of the differences in walking and cycling behaviour between immigrants and ethnic Dutch need further research.

Optimization of Car Use Time for Different Maintenance and Repair Scenarios Based on Life Cycle Assessment

New propulsion technologies and the development of electromobility increase the environmental efficiency of the transport sector. However, the current structure of car fleets with a large number of old cars with worse environmental parameters undermines the benefits of technological progress in the automotive industry. Older cars may require a more extensive service, involving a thorough overhaul, repair or even replacement of many parts. The result of using additional resources is a deterioration of environmental performance. This study considers various maintenance and repair scenarios and focuses on the use phase using the example of the popular Ford Focus passenger car model. The life cycle optimization model was used for environmental assessment, which determines the optimal duration of the car use phase, accounting for detailed service information and the type and environmental efficiency class of the different fuel versions. This model can be an effective tool for car fleet management and car replacement policy. Detailed life cycle inventories of 40 Ford Focus II diesel and petrol cars that represent all maintenance and repairs are the inputs to the life cycle optimization model. The inventory data were provided by the Ford Service Center in Szczecin (Poland), which regularly serviced the cars with a mileage of up to 200,000 km. Inventory at other stages of the cars’ life cycles was modeled using Ecoinvent data. The results show that by considering these vehicle servicing aspects on the basis of more detailed data, impact assessments are better represented compared to other studies. Depending on the replacement policy, the contribution of vehicle maintenance and repair can account for almost half of the cumulative life cycle burdens.

Can shared autonomous vehicles become a sustainable mode of mobility in the future? Insights from a practice-based study of urban dwellers in Norway

ABSTRACT Shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) represent a rapidly growing technological field with features believed to potentially support the development of more sustainable mobility systems in city regions. To succeed as a sustainable mode of mobility, however, many current car owners must replace their private vehicles with SAVs. Based on a survey of citizens in Oslo and 12 other Norwegian cities, as well as in-depth interviews with citizens living in a location where SAV is tested, this study explores the relationships between people’s everyday mobility patterns and their future interest in using SAVs. The study located six different mobility practices and found a positive interest in the use of SAVs among people who adhere to a shared mobility type of practice, while the resistance was strongest among people who adhere to different car-based mobility practices. Also, those whose current mobility practice involves the use of electric cars had little interest in replacing their cars with SAVs. The study points to some paradoxes and challenges that are critical to handle if an upscaling of SAVs is to be part of a future sustainable mobility mode.

How are practices of care sometimes not fair? The case of parenting and private car use

ABSTRACT How is it that the intention to care can produce and reproduce a practice that is quintessentially unjust? This conceptual piece uses the everyday transport practices of families to explore the paradox between individual practices of care and aspirations to just and care-full cities. In doing so, it encounters a fundamental barrier to the melding of care with notions of justice. While structurally and culturally, care and justice must fuse as aspirations, from the perspective of the individual in practice, care motivates actions that are anything but inclusive and equitable. Indeed, care in practice undermines aspirations to justice in a way that needs to be accounted for if utopian visions of more care-full and just cities can be realised. Tools and concepts from social practice theory are deployed to reveal how care melds with infrastructure and ‘ways of doing’ to entrench the mobile stratifications that both represent and perpetuate injustice.

What motivates the use of shared mobility systems and their integration with public transit? Evidence from a choice experiment study

Shared mobility, including bike-sharing, shared e-scooter, and ride-hailing, could improve transportation sustainability when substituting private car use and integrating with public transit. However, if shared mobility competes with other green modes, it cannot guarantee sustainability benefits. The competing and synergistic relationships between conventional modes and shared mobility are complex and not well-studied to date. Understanding users’ preferences in mode choice decisions among shared mobility, conventional modes, and multimodal systems can help better evaluate the impact of shared mobility adoption and support related policies. This paper presents the design and results of a stated-preference choice experiment study conducted in Indianapolis, Indiana. An integrated choice and latent variable (ICLV) model was estimated to identify attributes that affect travelers’ mode choices for both non-commuting and commuting purposes. Results show that (1) travel cost and travel time are significant variables and their impact on mode choice for system integration and competition is elastic; and (2) user heterogeneity can be observed through three latent variables (perceptions of shared mobility, travel attributes importance, and social values) to identify traveler’s preferences and concerns for mode choice. The contributions from this study include: (1) developing quantitative models to estimate mode choice behavior with regard to shared mobility use, and (2) identifying a set of policy guidelines for system development to encourage multimodal usage and decrease car dependency.

Contralateral Hip Abductor Muscle Strength Associated with Comfort of Getting into and out of the Car after Total Hip Arthroplasty.

There are no studies that have investigated the characteristics of car use across THA patients, including those who do not drive. This study aimed to evaluate, in THA patients, (1) postoperative car usage, (2) comfort while entering and exiting a car, and (3) whether lower limb muscle strength affects action comfort. One hundred seventy-two post-THA patients completed the questionnaire in 2020, along with assessments of hip abductor and knee extensor muscle strength before surgery and at discharge. Patients whose overall comfort level was judged as comfortable were defined as the comfort group; others were placed in the discomfort group. Of the 172 patients, 161 reported car usage at a mean of 5.6 years after THA. Of these, 114 and 47 patients were placed in the comfort and discomfort groups, respectively. Patients in the discomfort group were three times more likely to experience discomfort using the contralateral side door than the surgical side door, and about twice as many patients experienced discomfort when entering as when exiting. Lower preoperative contralateral hip abductor muscle strength was the only independent predictor for discomfort. The take-home messages were that prevention of contralateral-side weakness may improve comfort during the action after THA.

Tackling Car Emissions in Urban Areas: Shift, Avoid, Improve

Car use imposes costly environmental externalities. We investigate to what extent car trips could be shifted to low-emission modes, avoided via teleworking, or improved via a transition to electric vehicles in the context of daily mobility in the Paris area. We derive counterfactual travel times for 45,000 car trips from a representative transport survey, and formulate modal shift scenarios including a maximum acceptable increase in travel time. For a daily travel time increase below 10 min, 46% of drivers could shift to e-bike – mostly – or public transit – rarely –, with half of them benefiting from a travel time decrease. Such modal shift would reduce daily mobility emissions by 15% and generate annual climate and health benefits worth €125 million. Factors such as living in the far suburbs, being male, or having a high income, are associated with inability to shift modes. Teleworking two days a week could save an additional 5% of emissions. Holding demand for mobility and public transport infrastructure fixed, greater emission reductions require improving cars' environmental performance via a transition to electric vehicles.

Do economic incentives promote physical activity? Evidence from the London Congestion Charge

Abstract This study investigates the impact of economic incentives on travel-related physical activity, leveraging the London Congestion Charge’s disincentivising of sedentary travel modes via increasing the cost of private car use within Central London. The scheme imposes charges on most types of cars entering, exiting, and operating within the Central London area, while individuals living inside the charging zone are eligible for a 90% reduction in congestion charges. Geographical location information provides the full-digit postcode data necessary to precisely identify the eligibility for the discount of participants in the London Travel Demand Survey for the period 2005–2011. Using a boundary regression-discontinuity design reveals a statistically significantly positive impact on active commuting (i.e. cycling and walking) around the border of the charging zone. The effect is larger for lower-income households and car owners. The findings are robust against multiple specifications and validation tests.

Attitudes and Behaviour towards More Sustainable Travel Options in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An Emerging Social Change?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is known for its high car ownership and usage and its high GDP per capita. This, combined with a low provision of public transportation (PT) systems, has resulted in perceptual attitudes of high dependency on private car travel. The level of awareness of the benefits of reducing car use and increasing travel by more sustainable options has a great impact on social change and behaviour. The Kingdom is currently progressing towards a new phase of “national reform” through implementation of strategic sustainable programs. Riyadh city is constructing a massive metro-system, which is nearing completion and operation. The public is aware of the national agenda, the construction of transportation projects, and of the social changes needed to realize the new vision of the country. This paper aims to assess travel behaviours and attitudes of Saudi nationals towards public transportation. A discrete choice model of the intent to use public transportation is calibrated as a function of social and attitudinal factors, using online survey data. The analysis was carried out using an ordered logit model (OLR) which is derived from the theory of random utility. The results show that, overall, a higher support for public transportation modes was stated by young females, lower income groups, and university graduates. The level of awareness of the national agenda appears to be increasing the level of support for public transportation. The paper is the first investigation of willingness to use public transportation in Riyadh, at a crucial time of national reform; the choice of mode of travel appears to be determined by the travellers’ social and economic characteristics and the level of awareness of the country’s agenda.

Pathway towards sustainability or motorization? A comparative study of e-bikes in China and the Netherlands

Faced with globally pressing sustainability challenges, the e-bike provides a potentially sustainable mobility alternative. Yet, a growing consensus among researchers is that the environmental and social impacts of e-bikes are context dependent. Previous studies indicate different e-bike pathways in two major e-bike markets. In China, e-bikes seem to be a stepping stone to further motorization. In the Netherlands, e-bike use partially substitutes car use, thereby advancing sustainability. However, little is known about why e-bikes serve different pathways. We address this research problem by employing social practice theory to unpack e-bike practices according to three interdependent elements of materials, competences, and meanings. In doing so, we shed light on the more complex and nuanced dynamics in everyday mobility practices around e-bikes. The findings suggest that in China hostile cycling conditions and positive cultural associations of automobility feed to a vicious circle toward car-based motorization. In the Netherlands, the e-bike provides a viable option for those locked into car practices. Despite these differences, evidence from the two countries indicates that dissatisfactions with elements of car practices may redirect people to e-bike practices. Policy needs to direct toward overcoming structural barriers in domains where individuals have limited agency. Furthermore, this comparative study illustrates that differentiated focus is needed when applying practice theory. Given that the average carbon footprint per capita is lower in the Global South than in the Global North, the focus should be on maintaining existing sustainable practices in the Global South while substituting unsustainable practices in the Global North.

An investigation of green supply chain management practices on organizational performance using multivariate statistical analysis

Global warming and climate change are the main hurdles facing humanity. They are caused by various market practices, such as mining natural resources, fossil fuels used for power generation, dumping hazardous waste, massive electricity generation, and much more. Different ideas, such as the use of hybrid cars, solar power, biogas, etc., have arisen to do business without negatively impacting the environment and Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) is one of them. This paper focuses on the impact of GSCM practices on manufacturing companies’ operational efficiency and overall organizational performance. The study is explanatory and is based on the qualitative model. To analyze the factors influencing organizational performance concerning GSCM, we created questionnaires and utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) for inferential analysis. Our study revealed a mediating role between business performance and GSCM practices. Manufacturing companies need to consider the interaction between internal and external aspects of GSCM to integrate their operations effectively. Additionally, we suggest that examining the relationship between GSCM practices and organizational performance is crucial. This examination addresses the major obstacles in utilizing GSCM practices effectively and proposes a management approach for implementing GSCM in organizations.

Expanding the VBN theory on succeeding the transportation demand management policies

The growth of the car fleet has caused many problems, such as environmental problems, uncontrolled energy consumption, and traffic congestion. To resolve the issues caused by transport-related activities, transportation planners should implement policies that reduce car use and move forward to sustainable transportation. The prerequisite of the efficiency of the policies that reduce car use is the acceptance of them by the entire community members. Previously a few studies have tested individuals’ environmental attitudes using the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory. This research aims to analyze and examine car use reduction policy using a comprehensive VBN and Norm-Activation-model (NAM) theories to consider more variables and provide a model with more analytical capability. To address this issue, 500 questionnaires were filled by travelers’ in Tehran, Iran, in the restricted traffic area to describe their behavior. The result shows that the biospheric value significantly affects car use reduction policy, associated with considerable environmental concerns. Besides, it was found that a high ascription of responsibility (A.R.) appeared as the strongest predictor of the policy. The findings have represented initial support for the VBN theory and revealed that the theory could explain the car use reduction policy’s Intention, according to Tehran’s respondents’ environmental behavior. This study’s findings can assist policymakers in adopting appropriate policies to reduce car use based on environmental advantages and could target biospheric values and ascription of responsibilities.

Does the information provider choose to promote public transport use or protect public health? A case study in China

BackgroundHealth risks from air pollution require cutting motorized private vehicle use. Providing new public travel patterns, along with appropriate smartphone-based multimodal travel information services (SMTIS) is considered an effective way to alleviate this stress. However, air pollution is not likely to be solved overnight. There is a growing demand for more detailed air pollution information accessible through mobile apps to avoid exposure to pollution, which may increase the use of private cars. So far, little is known about this contradictory behavior. MethodsBased on 1926 observations obtained from a stated preference experiment conducted in Shanghai, a mixed logit model was developed to investigate the effect of SMTIS on travelers’ mode choice behavior. Specifically, this study aims to reveal the impact of progressively providing typical multimodal information, social influence information, and air pollution information expressed in cigarette equivalents on commuters’ choice of travel modes, including private car, park-and-ride (P&R), and customized bus. ResultsInformation offered by SMTIS, including travel time, travel cost, available parking spaces, comfort level, and air pollution information, exerts significant influences on travel mode choice. Also, there is observed taste heterogeneity for such information across the population. Respondents placed less emphasis on air pollution information during commute trips than on travel time. Providing information on modal pollution exposure prevents people from using public transport. Even when air quality is good, we still observe an increase in the proportion of people choosing cars. With regard to social influence information, people were more likely to choose P&R when online word-of-mouth about P&R displayed a positive propensity, while the percentage of other travelers who had selected P&R did not exhibit a significant effect. ImplicationsThe findings provide valuable implications for the design of low-carbon traffic management policies and the deployment of multimodal information services.