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People’s preferences for commuting in sparsely populated areas: The case of Sweden

Author

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  • Westin, Kerstin

    (Dept of Social and Economic Geography)

  • Sandow, Erika

    (Dept of Social and Economic Geography; Sweden)

Abstract

In a time of decreased inclination to migrate and an increased place attachment, increasing commuting can improve the functionality of local labor markets. In regional development policy in Sweden, facilitating increased commuting over larger geographical areas is therefore viewed as essential for enhancing the supply of competent labor in all parts of the country and decreasing spatial segmentation. Building on an analysis of data from a survey of Swedish residents' commuting options and preferences, this paper focuses on commuting in a relatively sparsely populated and peripheral area in northern Sweden. Further, the question of whether increased commuting is socially sustainable from a commuter’s perspective is discussed. The point of departure is that the individual and the individual’s context affect commuting behavior through social norms, geographical structure and available in\-fra\-struc\-ture. With respect to travel patterns and mode choice, a gender perspective is included in the analyses. The results show that the geographic and socio-economic structure of the labor market place time restrictions on people’s commuting behavior and as a consequence people's daily reach in sparsely populated areas is restricted. Geographical structure, available infrastructure, and socio-economic factors (such as education, employment, and family situation) are also found to restrict women’s access to the local labor market to a greater extent than men’s. Furthermore, the study shows that the inclination to commute declines rapidly when commuting times exceed 45 minutes, regardless of gender, transport mode, and socio-economic factors. Considering distances and the provision of public transport in sparsely populated areas, the car is valued as the most optimal mode of transport when commuting. If regional growth is to be promoted by facilitating commuting over longer distances, a higher level of car dependency must be accepted in sparsely populated areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Westin, Kerstin & Sandow, Erika, 2010. "People’s preferences for commuting in sparsely populated areas: The case of Sweden," The Journal of Transport and Land Use, Center for Transportation Studies, University of Minnesota, vol. 2(3), pages 87-107.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:jtralu:0041
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    4. Nordlund, A. & Westin, K., 2013. "Influence of values, beliefs, and age on intention to travel by a new railway line under construction in northern Sweden," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 86-95.
    5. J. Ignacio Gimenez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina, 2016. "Commuting Time And Household Responsibilities: Evidence Using Propensity Score Matching," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 332-359, March.
    6. José M. Casado-Díaz & Raquel Simón-Albert & Hipólito Simón, 2023. "Gender Differences in Commuting: New Evidence from Spain," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 907-941, October.
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    8. Juan Carlos Campaña & J. Ignacio Gimenez-Nadal, 2024. "Gender Gaps in Commuting Time: Evidence from Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 45(3), pages 596-620, September.
    9. Jessica Berg & Jonas Ihlström, 2019. "The Importance of Public Transport for Mobility and Everyday Activities among Rural Residents," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-13, February.
    10. Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2020. "Elderly's Mobility to and from Work in the US: Metropolitan Status and Population Size," IZA Discussion Papers 13949, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. José Ignacio Giménez-Nadal & José Alberto Molina & Jorge Velilla, 2024. "Intermediate activities while commuting," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 1185-1220, September.
    12. Erik Elldér & Katarina Haugen & Bertil Vilhelmson, 2022. "When local access matters: A detailed analysis of place, neighbourhood amenities and travel choice," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 59(1), pages 120-139, January.
    13. Akiko Sakanishi, 2020. "Urban commuting behavior and time allocation among women: Evidence from US metropolitan areas," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(2), pages 349-363, April.
    14. Theis Theisen & Anne Wenche Emblem, 2021. "The Road to Higher Prices: Will Improved Road Standards Lead to Higher Housing Prices?," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 258-282, February.
    15. Echeverría, Lucía & Gimenez-Nadal, J. Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto, 2023. "Commuting in dual-earner households: International gender differences with time use surveys," Nülan. Deposited Documents 3932, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Centro de Documentación.
    16. Patricia Mokhtarian & Francis Papon & Matthieu Goulard & Marco Diana, 2015. "What makes travel pleasant and/or tiring? An investigation based on the French National Travel Survey," Transportation, Springer, vol. 42(6), pages 1103-1128, November.
    17. Belloc, Ignacio, 2021. "El tiempo de desplazamiento al lugar de trabajo en el Reino Unido: Diferencias entre asalariados y autoempleados [Commuting time in the United Kingdom: Differences between wage-earners and self-emp," MPRA Paper 108260, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Gimenez-Nadal, José Ignacio & Molina, José Alberto & Velilla, Jorge, 2023. "Pro-environment Attitudes and Worker Commuting Behavior," IZA Discussion Papers 16279, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    19. Sandow, Erika & Westin, Kerstin, 2010. "The persevering commuter - Duration of long-distance commuting," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 433-445, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Commuting; travel time; gender; socially sustainable; regional development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R40 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Transportation Economics - - - General

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