The United States is in the midst of the longest decline in driving since World War II, with the greatest reduction in driving occurring among young people. A new report, Transportation and the New Generation, explores the reasons why young people are driving less and the implications for transportation policy.
The trend away from driving has been led by young people. From 2001 and 2009, the average annual number of vehicle-miles driven by young people (16 to 34-year-olds) decreased by 23 percent. At the same time, alternative transportation use increased:
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Bike trips increased 24%
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Walking trips increased 16%
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Transit trips increased 40%
The trend away from steady growth in driving is likely to be long-lasting – even once the economy recovers. The trend occurred even among young people who are employed and/or are doing well financially. Young people are driving less for a host of reasons – higher gas prices, new licensing laws, improvements in technology that support alternative transportation, and changes in Generation Y’s values and preferences – all factors that are likely to have an impact for years to come.
Federal and state governments continue to make massive investments in new highway capacity on the assumption that driving will continue to increase at a steady pace. The changing transportation preferences of young people – and Americans overall – throw those assumptions into doubt. The time has come for transportation policy to reflect the needs and desires of today’s Americans – not the worn-out conventional wisdom from days gone by.
Read more at FrontierGroup.com or download the full report.