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The Changing Commute: A Case-study of the Jobs-Housing Relationship over Time

Author

Listed:
  • Martin Wachs

    (Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1467, USA)

  • Brian D. Taylor

    (Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1467, USA)

  • Ned Levine

    (Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1467, USA)

  • Paul Ong

    (Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1467, USA)

Abstract

Commuting patterns between home and work were studied among 30 000 employees of Kaiser Permanente, a major health care provider in Southern California. The study tracked the differences between home and work location among employees over 6 years by analysing employee records and responses to a survey of over 1500 of the workers. It was found that work trip lengths had in general not grown over the 6 year period. Growth of the work force had contributed more to the growth in local traffic congestion than had a lengthening of the work trip over time. The automobile remains the dominant mode of travel between home and work for these employees, and choices of residential location were found to be based upon many factors in addition to the home-work separation, such as quality of neighbourhood and schools and perceived safety.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Wachs & Brian D. Taylor & Ned Levine & Paul Ong, 1993. "The Changing Commute: A Case-study of the Jobs-Housing Relationship over Time," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 30(10), pages 1711-1729, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:30:y:1993:i:10:p:1711-1729
    DOI: 10.1080/00420989320081681
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cervero, Robert, 1989. "Jobs-Housing Balancing and Regional Mobility," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt7mx3k73h, University of California Transportation Center.
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Bäckström & Erika Sandow & Olle Westerlund, 2016. "Commuting and timing of retirement," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 56(1), pages 125-152, January.
    2. Li, Tiebei & Corcoran, Jonathan & Burke, Matthew, 2012. "Disaggregate GIS modelling to track spatial change: exploring a decade of commuting in South East Queensland, Australia," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 306-314.
    3. Hu, Yujie & Wang, Fahui, 2015. "Decomposing excess commuting: a Monte Carlo simulation approach," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 43-52.
    4. Longxu Yan & De Wang & Shangwu Zhang & Dongcan Xie, 2019. "Evaluating the multi-scale patterns of jobs-residence balance and commuting time–cost using cellular signaling data: a case study in Shanghai," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 777-792, June.
    5. Zhou, Jiangping & Wang, Yin & Schweitzer, Lisa, 2012. "Jobs/housing balance and employer-based travel demand management program returns to scale: Evidence from Los Angeles," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(C), pages 22-35.
    6. Jiangping, Zhou & Chun, Zhang & Xiaojian, Chen & Wei, Huang & Peng, Yu, 2014. "Has the legacy of Danwei persisted in transformations? the jobs-housing balance and commuting efficiency in Xi’an," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 64-76.
    7. Dohyung Kim & Yongjin Ahn & Simon Choi & Kwangkoo Kim, 2016. "Sustainable Mobility: Longitudinal Analysis of Built Environment on Transit Ridership," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-14, October.
    8. Sweet, Matthias N., 2014. "Do firms flee traffic congestion?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 40-49.
    9. Milakis, Dimitris & Cervero, Robert & van Wee, Bert & Maat, Kees, 2015. "Do people consider an acceptable travel time? Evidence from Berkeley, CA," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 76-86.
    10. Yao, Mingzhu & Wang, Donggen, 2018. "Mobility and travel behavior in urban China: The role of institutional factors," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 122-131.
    11. Jessica Westman & Lars E. Olsson & Tommy Gärling & Margareta Friman, 2017. "Children’s travel to school: satisfaction, current mood, and cognitive performance," Transportation, Springer, vol. 44(6), pages 1365-1382, November.
    12. Qin, Ping & Wang, Lanlan, 2019. "Job opportunities, institutions, and the jobs-housing spatial relationship: Case study of Beijing," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 331-339.
    13. García-Palomares, Juan Carlos, 2010. "Urban sprawl and travel to work: the case of the metropolitan area of Madrid," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 197-213.
    14. Shu‐Hen Chiang, 2012. "The Source of Metropolitan Growth: The Role of Commuting," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(1), pages 143-166, March.
    15. Sohee Lee & Tsutomu Suzuki, 2016. "A scenario approach to the evaluation of sustainable urban structure for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in Seoul," International Journal of Urban Sciences, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(1), pages 30-48, March.

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