01495411

Monograph

http://www.apta.com/resou...llennials-and-Mobility.pdf

The Millennial Generation, those born between 1982 and 2003, is the largest and most diverse generation in American history. According to Millennial Makeover, a seminal volume on generational change, 40% of Millennials are African American, Latino, Asian or racially-mixed compared to only 25% of the next two older generations. Millennials are also living through times of economic dislocation and technological change. History shows that the combination of technological change, such as the advent of smartphone technology, television, or radio; combined with macro forces that shape behaviors, such as the Great Recession, the Great Depression, or World War II can lead to societal change that can last generations. It is in this context that Millennials, with their relative propensity for urban lifestyle components (whether they live in cities or in suburbs), dexterity with technology, while starting careers during economically constrained times can leave a lasting impact on society. In fact, they are already driving trends. As has been noted in a number of reports, including US PIRG’s report, “A New Direction: Our Changing Relationship With Driving and the Implications for America’s Future”, rates of driving is down in the US, and Millennials are leading the trend. This APTA/TCRP report seeks to further understand the mindsets behind the trends and understand their implications for public transportation in the United States. This study utilizes a mixture of in-depth interviews in five cities and a survey of 1,000 people in six cities that are representative of the types of cities Millennials find attractive. Key study findings include the following: Millennials are multimodal, they choose the best transportation mode (driving, transit, bike, or walk) based on the trip they are planning to take. Communities that attract Millennials have a multitude of transportation choices, as proven by Millennial hotspots, popular zip codes where residents have self-selected into a multi-modal lifestyle. Public transportation options are considered the best for digital socializing and among the most likely to connect the user with their communities. Transit also allows Millennials to work as they travel, a trend noted by 40% of those polled. These benefits of public transit need to be fully leveraged by the industry, as they provide a clear competitive advantage. Reasons and motivations for transportation choices are pragmatic, with 46% stating that a need to save money drives their choices; 46% also note convenience, 44% want exercise, and 35% say they live in a community where it just makes more sense to use transit. Millennials would like to see in the next ten years: 1) 61% more reliable systems, 2) 55% real-time updates, 3) 55% Wi-Fi or 3G/4G wherever they go, 4) 44% a more user-friendly and intuitive travel experience. Fully leveraging technology, through real-time transit applications that connect users with community amenities, through smartphone fare payment, and the provision of WiFi and 3G/4G, will allow transit users to be more spontaneous, thus addressing the key competitive advantage of the car.

This report summarizes TCRP Web-Only Document 61: Millenials & Mobility:Understanding the Millennial Mindset and New Opportunities for Transit Providers, available online at: http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/tcrp/tcrp_w61.pdf

English

47p

2013

Digital/other

Figures; Photos; Tables

Age; Life styles; Mobility; Mode choice; Motivation; Multimodal transportation; Public transit; Smartphones; Social factors; Social media

Millennials

Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

TRIS

Oct 7 2013 2:55PM