Does Place or Race Make a Difference?

Previous research suggests that race and ethnicity explain some aspects of travel behavior among the elderly. This paper uses new 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey location variables based on the size, density, and function of residential areas to question whether the mode choice of White, non-Hispanic elders differs from otherwise comparable ethnic and racial elders when controlling for residential location and other important variables. Described are two estimation models that use mode choice as the dependent variable and control for residential location and a variety of other factors including age, license-holding, income, sex, and transit availability. These initial analyses show important differences in mode choice by race and ethnicity even when other key variables are held constant. They also show that residential location is the most important variable in explaining differences in mode choice.