01698134

Component

Considerable recent work suggests that Millennials’ behaviors may be converging with those of Generation X as they enter later life stages. In this study, the authors analyze the existing generational gap in three transportation-related attitudes, and examine the differential effects of characteristics, including life stage variables, on these attitudinal gaps. The authors apply the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to a statewide (weighted) sample of 1028 Millennials and 945 Generation Xers from California, to unravel these effects. The authors observe that Millennials’ attitudes are closer to those of Generation X as they gain on a host of life stage variables like marital status, income, and education. For example, the authors see that among Millennials who have graduated from college, are earning more, and are beginning to have children, the generational gap in attitudes toward long-term urban living is reduced by 61%. The application of this method also facilitates the understanding that differences in characteristics are only part of the reason for the gap, as such characteristics may also have differing effects on attitudes between the two generations. This study brings an econometric approach to the study of generational divides in transportation-related attitudes, with findings suggesting that Millennials might be leaving part of their uniqueness behind as they enter later life stages.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADD20 Standing Committee on Social and Economic Factors of Transportation.

19-03445

English

8p

2019

Transportation Research Board 98th Annual Meeting

Digital/other

References; Tables

Age groups; Attitudes; Demographics; Econometrics; Surveys; Urban areas

California

Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General)

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2019 Paper #19-03445

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Dec 7 2018 9:47AM