Driving by Choice or Necessity?
October 16, 2003
Susan Handy
Associate Professor, Dept.
of Environmental Science Policy
University of California at Davis
Abstract:
From just about all accounts, Americans are driving more than ever, not just to work but to shopping, to school, to soccer practice, to visit family and friends, and so on. Americans also seem to be complaining more than ever about how much they drive or, more accurately, how much everyone else drives. However, the available evidence suggests that a notable share of their driving is by choice rather than necessity. The distinction between choice and necessity is not always so clear but it is important for policy makers. The project summarized in this presentation first develops a framework for exploring the boundary between choice and necessity and for categorizing the reasons for and types of excess driving and then uses qualitative research techniques to test and refine this framework. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of travel behavior and provides a basis for developing policy proposals directed at reducing the growth in driving.
References:
Handy, Susan; Weston, Lisa; Mokhtarian, Patricia. August, 2003.. Driving by Choice or Necessity?. (paper presented at the 10th International Conference on Travel Behaviour Research, Lucerne Switz.).
Biography:
Dr. Susan Handy is an associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science and the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California at Davis and is affiliated with the Institute of Transportation Studies at UCD. Her research focuses on the relationships between transportation and land use, including the impact of land use on travel behavior and the impact of transportation investments on land development patterns. In addition, her work is directed towards strategies for enhancing accessibility and reducing automobile dependence, including land use policies and telecommunications services. She is currently serving on the Institutes of Medicine Committee on the Prevention of Obesity in Children and Youth. She has a PhD in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley, an MS in Civil Engineering from Stanford University, and a BSE in Civil Engineering from Princeton University.
