Exploring the Characteristics of Short Trips: Implications for Walk Mode Choice
People undertake many short trips, which may be defined as those under five miles, or under two miles, or even under one mile in length. Although these trips have lengths that make them candidates for bicycling or walking, i.e., the use of sustainable non-motorized modes of transport, it is found that a substantial share of these short trips are undertaken by car. Although there has been some research into the reasons why short trips are not largely undertaken by walk and bicycle, much remains to be learned about the nature of short trips and the potential constraints that limit the ability of travelers to use non-motorized modes for these trips. This paper offers a detailed examination of short trips, with a view to exploring the potential factors inhibiting the use of walk and bicycle modes for these trips. The paper offers a detailed descriptive analysis of short trips in two major metropolitan regions using data from the most recent 2008-2009 National Household Travel Survey in the United States. It is found that trip chaining patterns may be playing a significant role in preventing more walking and bicycling. Based on a characterization of short trips in the survey data sets, the paper offers planning and policy strategies that may help bolster the share of walking and bicycling for short trips.
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Supplemental Notes:
- This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ANF10 Pedestrians. Alternate title: Exploring Characteristics of Short Trips: Implications for Walk Mode Choice
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Corporate Authors:
500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC United States 20001 -
Authors:
- Paul, Sanjay
- Born, Kathryn
- McElduff, Kelsey
- Pendyala, Ram M
- Bhat, Chandra R
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0000-0002-0715-8121
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Conference:
- Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
- Location: Washington DC
- Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
- Date: 2014
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: References; Tables;
- Pagination: 14p
- Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Bicycling; Mode choice; Nonmotorized transportation; Pedestrians; Policy, legislation and regulation; Travel surveys; Trip chaining; Trip length; Walking
- Uncontrolled Terms: Household travel surveys; Short trips
- Subject Areas: Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01516220
- Record Type: Publication
- Report/Paper Numbers: 14-5211
- Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
- Created Date: Feb 28 2014 12:32PM