Millennials driving change in transportation
By Mantill Williams
The largest generation in U.S. history and the most multi-modal could be a game changer for public transportation and America’s transportation network as a whole.
The millennial generation chooses the most practical transportation mode (driving, public transit, biking or walking) for each trip, and this flexible concept of mobility is spreading. According to the study Millennials and Mobility, nearly 70 percent of millennials, people 18 to 34, use multiple travel options several times or more per week.
The study shows that while car-sharing, bike-sharing, walking and car ownership will all play a part in the multi-modal network, public transportation is ranked highest as the best mode to connect to all other modes, according to 54 percent of millennials polled.
Smartphone applications allow public transit users to be increasingly spontaneous and flexible with their travel decisions. This is a game changing element because it closes the gap with the perceived benefit of auto use.
According to the study, the top five reasons and motivations for choosing public transportation are pragmatic, as 46 percent state that a need to save money drives their choices, 46 percent note convenience, 44 percent want exercise, and 35 percent say they live in a community where it just makes more sense to use public transportation.
Millennials say the key advantages of public transportation is the ability to pay-per-use (58 percent), protecting the environment (50 percent), the ability to socialize online (44 percent), and creating community (44 percent).
Because of the future demands of this millennial generation, transportation systems and public transportation systems in particular, will be built around the smart phone.
Mantill Williams works for the American Public Transportation Association.
This article makes it sound like the millennials are the smartest generation ever.
I wonder if they would be so anxious to use public transportation if they were actually paying the true cost, instead of its being so heavily subsidized? Your $2 bus fare doesn’t come close to covering the cost of providing the service.
I’m all for good public transport. But let’s at least be honest about what it costs. And who IS paying for it.
Is this written for BART users? How’s Bart working for them? This article must have polled inner-city people of which there isn’t many in this county, also sounds like Agenda 21 propaganda at it’s finest. All govt. controlled from your assigned housing to your assigned local govt. transportation to the govt. clustered community housing project, this all sounds good for control of people and functions until the govt. runs out of other’s money to spend.
Let’s take the buses providing transportation in south Tahoe. It has be reliably calculated the true cost of providing transportation is 6 times the cost to the passenger. Some deal for taxpayer.
Mr. Williams is just another paid advocate who speaks with forked tongue.
The main reason is so they can text and twitter. They are a generation of technology dependent self entitled people. “I know…let’s have a spelling bee”
suspiciousmind says – you need to read the article. Mr. Williams is reporting factually how the younger generation chooses their mode of transportation. He makes no judgement as to the efficacy of subsidizing public transportation; simply the younger generation chooses to avail themselves of all options and are not car centric – good for them. As a 60 yr old, I tend to use my car more then I should, but do enjoy those days I can (no out of the office meetings) commute via bike, particularly when I can factor in a good hard climb from work to home. I for one, believe strongly in subsiding public transportation. My commute (as do others) suffers badly when any of the public transportation systems go on strike – proof of how well they serve us.
Rick