Variations of Urban Travel Characteristics with Age

Using origin destination data previously assembled in urban transportation studies, analyses were carried out to determine the effect of the age of the tripmaker on urban travel behavior. Using analysis of variance techniques, the study examined variations with age in travel parameters in five medium-sized Georgia cities and Milwaukee, WI. Large variations in demand were determined, with similar characteristics of variations in all cities. Additionally, regression analysis was conducted to relate travel parameters to the socioeconomic characteristics of individual tripmakers. Of the 15 travel parameters examined, age was found to be highly influential in 13 of the parameters. In 10 parameters age was determined to be the most important contributory variable used in regression analysis. The study questions the validity of planning which neglects these wide variations in travel for different age groups, concentrating instead on aggregate zonal averages for travel demand.