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Gender differences in commuting travel in the U.S.: interactive effects of race/ethnicity and household structure

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Abstract

This research investigates the interactive effects of the household structure and race/ethnicity on gender differences in commuting travel in the United States. Existing research has established that both the household structure and race/ethnicity affect the gender differences, but little has examined if and how the effects of the household structure differ across racial/ethnic groups. Using the 2017 U.S. National Household Travel Survey, I estimate gender differences in commuting distance and in the probability of automobile commute in five household types and in four racial/ethnic groups. Results suggest differing effects of household types across racial/ethnic groups: the effects are particularly large in Hispanic people and small in Black people; the effects are moderate in white and Asian people. The research provides an analytical framework that jointly considers the two important factors that explain gendered commuting travel, and it reveals nuanced findings that can inform people-based and context-sensitive transport policies.

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Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Sai Sun for research assistance.

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  1. School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA

    Lingqian Hu

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Hu, L. Gender differences in commuting travel in the U.S.: interactive effects of race/ethnicity and household structure. Transportation 48, 909–929 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-020-10085-0

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