IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transa/v190y2024ics0965856424003197.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Who is ready to live a car-independent lifestyle? A latent class cluster analysis of attitudes towards car ownership and usage

Author

Listed:
  • Soza-Parra, Jaime
  • Cats, Oded

Abstract

An excessive use of private cars for transportation has multiple negative effects on our society. It is therefore paramount to identify the underlying factors driving car usage among different segments of travellers. In this study, we aim to identify and characterise traveller segments in terms of their car-related attitudes and how different sociodemographic attributes, travel behaviour characteristics (such as using cars as the primary mode of transportation), and the accessibility of their place of residence vary amongst different population segments. Through Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Latent Profile Analysis we identify five different classes, namely car-detractors, −hesitants, −positives, −friends, and −lovers. More favourable car attitudes are associated with higher car ownership and access but, interestingly, there are no significant differences in terms of travel frequency and trip length distribution. This suggests that attitudinal differences relate mostly to modal preference rather than to the underlying travel demand patterns and the associated activities. We also see that car-less individuals are more likely to be car detractors, suggesting that the experiencing barriers for owning a car may contribute to developing more negative attitudes towards cars. Our results shed light on the different influencing factors and characteristics of individuals that consider, or not, a car-centred mobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Soza-Parra, Jaime & Cats, Oded, 2024. "Who is ready to live a car-independent lifestyle? A latent class cluster analysis of attitudes towards car ownership and usage," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:190:y:2024:i:c:s0965856424003197
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2024.104271
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856424003197
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tra.2024.104271?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    2. Zhan Zhao & Jinhua Zhao, 2020. "Car pride and its behavioral implications: an exploration in Shanghai," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 793-810, April.
    3. Abenoza, Roberto F. & Cats, Oded & Susilo, Yusak O., 2017. "Travel satisfaction with public transport: Determinants, user classes, regional disparities and their evolution," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 64-84.
    4. Brown, Anne E., 2017. "Car-less or car-free? Socioeconomic and mobility differences among zero-car households," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 152-159.
    5. Steg, Linda, 2005. "Car use: lust and must. Instrumental, symbolic and affective motives for car use," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 39(2-3), pages 147-162.
    6. Jukka Heinonen & Michał Czepkiewicz & Áróra Árnadóttir & Juudit Ottelin, 2021. "Drivers of Car Ownership in a Car-Oriented City: A Mixed-Method Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-26, January.
    7. Ettema, Dick & Nieuwenhuis, Roy, 2017. "Residential self-selection and travel behaviour: What are the effects of attitudes, reasons for location choice and the built environment?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 146-155.
    8. Moody, Joanna & Zhao, Jinhua, 2019. "Car pride and its bidirectional relations with car ownership: Case studies in New York City and Houston," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 334-353.
    9. Danique Ton & Lara-Britt Zomer & Florian Schneider & Sascha Hoogendoorn-Lanser & Dorine Duives & Oded Cats & Serge Hoogendoorn, 2020. "Latent classes of daily mobility patterns: the relationship with attitudes towards modes," Transportation, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1843-1866, August.
    10. Joanna Moody & Elizabeth Farr & Marisa Papagelis & David R. Keith, 2021. "The value of car ownership and use in the United States," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(9), pages 769-774, September.
    11. Kroesen, Maarten & Handy, Susan & Chorus, Caspar, 2017. "Do attitudes cause behavior or vice versa? An alternative conceptualization of the attitude-behavior relationship in travel behavior modeling," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 190-202.
    12. Olde Kalter, Marie-José & La Paix Puello, Lissy & Geurs, Karst T., 2020. "Do changes in travellers’ attitudes towards car use and ownership over time affect travel mode choice? A latent transition approach in the Netherlands," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 1-17.
    13. Arnold van Exel, Nicolaas Jacob & Rietveld, Piet, 2010. "Perceptions of public transport travel time and their effect on choice-sets among car drivers," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 2(3), pages 75-86.
    14. Miriam Magdolen & Sascha von Behren & Lukas Burger & Bastian Chlond, 2021. "Mobility Styles and Car Ownership—Potentials for a Sustainable Urban Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Haustein, Sonja & Kroesen, Maarten, 2022. "Shifting to more sustainable mobility styles: A latent transition approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    2. De Vos, Jonas & Mouratidis, Kostas & Cheng, Long & Kamruzzaman, Md., 2021. "Does a residential relocation enable satisfying travel?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 188-201.
    3. Rahman, Mashrur & Sciara, Gian-Claudia, 2022. "Travel attitudes, the built environment and travel behavior relationships: Causal insights from social psychology theories," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 44-54.
    4. Liang Ma & Jason Cao, 2019. "How perceptions mediate the effects of the built environment on travel behavior?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(1), pages 175-197, February.
    5. Ma, Liang & Ettema, Dick & Ye, Runing, 2021. "Determinants of bicycling for transportation in disadvantaged neighbourhoods: Evidence from Xi’an, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 103-117.
    6. L. E. Karjalainen & M. Tiitu & J. Lyytimäki & V. Helminen & P. Tapio & A. Tuominen & T. Vasankari & J. Lehtimäki & R. Paloniemi, 2023. "Going carless in different urban fabrics: socio-demographics of household car ownership," Transportation, Springer, vol. 50(1), pages 107-142, February.
    7. Ikezoe, Keigo & Kiriyama, Eriko & Fujimura, Shuzo, 2021. "Analysis of car ownership motivation in Tokyo for sustainable mobility service and urban development," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-14.
    8. Kroesen, Maarten & Chorus, Caspar, 2020. "A new perspective on the role of attitudes in explaining travel behavior: A psychological network model," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 82-94.
    9. De Vos, Jonas & Singleton, Patrick A., 2020. "Travel and cognitive dissonance," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 525-536.
    10. Mayara Moraes Monteiro & João de Abreu e Silva & Jesper Bláfoss Ingvardson & Otto Anker Nielsen & Jorge Pinho de Sousa, 2021. "Public Transport Use and Satisfaction by International Students and Researchers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-17, July.
    11. Strömblad, Emma, 2024. "Identifying mobility segments for leisure travel: A cluster analysis based on a one-month travel survey," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    12. De Vos, Jonas & Witlox, Frank, 2017. "Travel satisfaction revisited. On the pivotal role of travel satisfaction in conceptualising a travel behaviour process," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 364-373.
    13. Jonas De Vos & E. Owen D. Waygood & Laurence Letarte & Mengqiu Cao, 2022. "Do frequent satisfying trips by public transport impact its intended use in later life?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 1245-1263, August.
    14. Guan, Xiaodong & Wang, Donggen, 2024. "Examining the roles of transport captivity and travel dissonance in travel satisfaction," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    15. Hu, Yang & van Wee, Bert & Ettema, Dick, 2023. "Intra-household decisions and the impact of the built environment on activity-travel behavior: A review of the literature," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    16. Jie Gao & Dick Ettema & Marco Helbich & Carlijn B. M. Kamphuis, 2019. "Travel mode attitudes, urban context, and demographics: do they interact differently for bicycle commuting and cycling for other purposes?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(6), pages 2441-2463, December.
    17. Asmussen, Katherine E. & Mondal, Aupal & Bhat, Chandra R., 2022. "Adoption of partially automated vehicle technology features and impacts on vehicle miles of travel (VMT)," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 156-179.
    18. Lisa Dang & Widar von Arx, 2021. "How Can Rail Use for Leisure and Tourism Be Promoted? Using Leisure and Mobility Orientations to Segment Swiss Railway Customers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-19, May.
    19. Enayat Mirzaei & Dominique Mignot, 2021. "An Empirical Analysis of Mode Choice Decision for Utilitarian and Hedonic Trips: Evidence from Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-23, June.
    20. Busch-Geertsema, Annika & Lanzendorf, Martin, 2017. "From university to work life – Jumping behind the wheel? Explaining mode change of students making the transition to professional life," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 181-196.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:190:y:2024:i:c:s0965856424003197. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/547/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.