Courtesy of Doug Short.
Regular visitors to this website are aware of my keen interest in long-term trends in Vehicle Miles Traveled, Gasoline Prices and Gasoline Volume Sales.
Today the U.S. PIRG (U.S. Public Interest Research Group) has released a fascinating study on the travel habits of Millennials (those born between 1983 and 2000) and the profound implications for transportation policy. The full report is available for download in PDF format at the U.S. PIRG website.
Here is an excerpt from the Executive Summary.
Now is the time for the nation’s transportation policies to acknowledge, accommodate and support Millennials’ demands for a greater array of transportation choices.
Millennials are less car-focused than older Americans and previous generations of young people, and their transportation behaviors continue to change in ways that reduce driving.
The report examines a wide range of perspectives:
- Socioeconomic shifts
- Lifestyle preferences
- Changing technology and transportation options
- Other steps that discourage driving
The report is filled with informative illustrations, such as the following rather dramatic snapshot of the change in trips per capita for the Millennial cohort from 2001 to 2009:
Here again is the PIRG link. Highly recommended!