Am Stressed, Must Travel: The Relationship Between Mode Choice And Commuting Stress

Keywords

Commute; Driving; Happy; Public transit; Stress; Walking

Abstract

The stress of commuting has serious public health and social implications. By comparing stress across different modes it is possible to determine which modes are more heavily contributing to this potential health and social issue. This study uses a large-scale university travel survey to compare commuter stress across three modes of transportation (walking, driving, and using public transit). It also investigates the specific factors that contribute to stress using these modes. Using ordered logistic regressions, the study develops a general model of stress and three mode-specific models. Results show that driving is the most stressful mode of transportation when compared to others. We also find that stressors for some modes are not stressors for others. Knowing which specific factors make certain modes stressful will help transportation and public health professionals make commuting a safer, more enjoyable, and less stressful activity; in turn this could mitigate the potentially serious health outcomes of a stressful commute.

Publication Date

10-12-2015

Publication Title

Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour

Volume

34

Number of Pages

141-151

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2015.08.001

Socpus ID

84941284500 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/84941284500

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