Changing California Lifestyles: Consequences for Mobility

Underlying changes in demographics and travel are an important set of social and personal choices that determine behavior. California's reputation as a trendsetter for the rest of the nation in terms of social developments and public policy is primarily driven by the dynamic shifts in lifestyle choices of our state's individual residents and communities. These lifestyle choices and trends are intimately linked to the choices we make about where we live, where we work, where we shop, and perhaps most importantly for the purposes of this investigation, how we travel. Therefore, understanding lifestyle trends and their implications for travel demand and transportation infrastructure investments is a critical element in the determination of future transportation policy in California. This section of the report focuses on specific Californian lifestyle trends as illuminated by demographic and travel statistics. The implications of these trends for transportation investments and priorities are presented within this context. The following issues are covered in detail: ♦ A discussion of the existing and growing importance of non-work travel. This issue is used as a point of entry to discuss the various Californian lifestyle choices that are driving the growth of non-work travel. • During the period from 1969 to 1995, work-related travel fell from 36 to 18% of all trips nationally. Meanwhile, non-work travel increased from 64 to 82% of all trips nationally. ♦ Increasingly consumption and entertainment-oriented lifestyles are important factors driving the growth of non-work travel. From 1969 to 1995 consumer trips as grew from around 29 to around 44% of all vehicle trips nationally. These trends are not solely the result of the growth of disposable income over time. Consumption of entertainment activities grew for nearly all income groups during the period from 1984 to 1998, with the largest growth found in the second lowest income quintile (the equivalent of the lower middle class or working class). This trend indicates a fundamental shift in choice priorities for lower income households, implying a change in lifestyle choice as well. ♦ Racial and ethnic identities have important implications for lifestyle choices and travel behavior. California's unique status as an increasingly multiethnic society also implies a changing set of lifestyle preferences and priorities for its residents. • California's increasingly non-white population are several times as likely to use transit and more likely to walk than whites. While some of these differences can be explained by income differences, differences in …