Uses of National Household Travel Survey Data in - NHTS Home ...

Special Population Groups
Changes in the Percentage of Students Who Walk or Bike to School - United States, 1969 and 2001
Authors:
Ham, Sandra A; Martin, Sarah L; Kohl, Harold W
Journal of Physical Activity and Health Issue: 2
2008
Abstract:
This article reports on a study that compared the changes in the percentage of US students (age 5 to 18
years) who walked or bicycled to school and in the distance that they lived from or traveled to their
school in 1969 and 2001. The authors also provide detailed information about school childrens' travel
patterns in 2001. Data were used from the 1969 National Personal Transportation Survey report on school
travel and the 2001 National Household Transportation Survey. The results showed that, in 2001, a
smaller percentage of students (19.4%) lived within 1 mile of school than in 1969 (when 34.7% of
students lived less than one mile from their school). The percentage of students who walked or biked any
distance decreased from 42.0% to 16.2% in the study's two time periods. Nearly half of students used
more than 1 travel mode or went to an additional destination en route between home and school in 2001.
The authors discuss the role of commuting to school as part of a child's everyday physical activity. Other
topics discussed include concerns for safety from traffic accidents, distance from school, the impact of
school choice programs such as magnet schools and desegregation, Safe Routes to School legislation,
student access to vehicles, and complex travel patterns of modern American children. The authors
conclude by describing the multidisciplinary efforts that will be needed as part of any programs to
increase the percentage of students who walk or bike to school.
Subject areas and Index Terms
Highways; Passenger Transportation; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and
Human Factors; Society; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning
Adolescents; Bicycling; Children; Commuting; Households; Residential areas; School bus passengers;
School buses; School children; Traffic safety; Trip length; Walking; Walking distance; Safe Routes to
School (Program)
Availability: Find a library where document is available Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/15433080
30