Abstract:
A study of the allocation of time and trip making across time of day, day of week, and month of year, as well as over the past 40 years, revealed some interesting findings. People are working much more, shopping somewhat more on weekends, and staying at home less today than they did 40 years ago. Time spent in travel on each weekend day (Saturday or Sunday) exceeds that on any weekday, as it did 40 years ago. Time spent shopping on a typical day in the busiest month (December) is more than twice that in the least busy month (September). Monthly variations in daily time in travel exceed 10%. The time-of-day patterns of shopping and other trips for workers and nonworkers are both rational: nonworkers peak in midday away from rush hour, whereas workers peak just after work, indicating trip chaining.
Supplemental Notes:
This paper appears in Transportation Research Record No. 1493, Travel Demand Forecasting, Travel Behavior Analysis, Time-Sensitive Transportation, and Traffic Assignment Methods. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
