Will millennials stay in cities and travel without cars?

Abstract

Will millennials stay in cities and travel without cars? To answer this question, this dissertation examines heterogeneity in modality styles and residential preferences in a sample of millennials and members of Generation X in California in 2015. It finds that both sociodemographic/ economic characteristics and attitudes about various dimensions (e.g., preferred built environments, travel modes, and car ownership) account for the heterogeneous behavioral and choice patterns in the sample. These findings provide insights on the ways millennials may switch their modality styles or residential preferences in response to changes in sociodemographic/economic conditions or attitudes in the coming years. This dissertation highlights the use of latent-class approaches as effective for the identification of heterogeneity in tastes related to the travel behaviors and location choices of millennials. Researchers are advised to apply these approaches to longitudinal analyses. This research also informs planners and policymakers of dynamic changes in the form or share of latent classes in their region.