Travel-to-work and subjective well-being: A study of UK dual career households

This article contributes to an understanding of the interaction between travel-to-work, time-use, and subjective well-being among full-time men and women in dual career households. Findings from empirical investigation of the British Household Panel Survey (1993–2009) identify comparable overall time-use (combined commutes, working hours/overtime, housework, and (ill/elderly) care) between genders, however the distributions are distinct. Women report shorter commutes and working hours/overtime, but lengthy housework. Among men lengthier commutes generate dissatisfaction, while the presence of dependent children reduces satisfaction with leisure indicative of the impact of chauffeuring. Women’s relationship with travel-to-work appears more complex. Women remain car dependent. Meanwhile, both short and long commutes generate dissatisfaction. Findings indicate short commutes among mothers which reduce satisfaction with leisure time, reflecting multi-activity journeys including the school run. The evidence is indicative of inequality in the household division of labour limiting women’s temporal and spatial flexibility and reducing satisfaction with leisure time.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2014.07.009
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966692314001574
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/09666923
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Wheatley, Daniel
• Publication Date: 2014-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 187-196
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport Geography
  • Volume: 39
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0966-6923
  • Serial URL: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jtrangeo

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Commuting; Households; Travel time; Work trips
• Uncontrolled Terms: Dual-career families
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01538506
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 25 2014 9:02AM