By: Megan Huws, Roadcc
Younger adults in rapidly growing cities are more car-dependent than older generations, but could be quicker to move to active travel if conditions improve, new research suggests.
The study, Generational differences in active travel: Estimation, decomposition, and policy implications, explores how age, environmental and socioeconomic factors shape commuting habits in an urban context.
Based on data from more than 1,000 residents in Chengdu, China, it was found that younger people are currently less likely to walk or cycle, but are more responsive to improvements in infrastructure and living conditions than older adults.
Older adults, defined as those over 40, tend to maintain higher levels of active travel regardless of changes in their environment.
It states that “younger adults exhibit higher car dependence than older adults, yet demonstrate potential for increased active travel if provided with comparable socioeconomic resources.”
The researchers found that younger adults’ higher car use is linked to longer commutes, greater access to vehicles, and social perceptions that associate car ownership with success.
However, the same group also showed significant potential to shift towards active travel if key barriers such as long travel distances, poor air quality, and limited infrastructure were addressed.
Using structural equation modelling, the study found that generational differences stem from two main sources: “lifecycle effects”, including income, career stage and family circumstances; and “cohort effects”, referring to long-term behavioural patterns shaped by upbringing.
Both were found to play a substantial role in influencing travel choices, with age affecting not only mode choice directly but also how environmental and socioeconomic factors shape those decisions.
Across all age groups, factors such as residential environment, travel time and car ownership were found to reduce levels of walking and cycling.
The authors argue that policies aimed at increasing sustainable transport need to take these generational differences into account.
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Younger adults may be more adaptable, but require targeted support—such as improved cycling infrastructure, shorter commute distances and better urban design—to reduce reliance on cars.
Older adults, meanwhile, already demonstrate consistent active travel habits that could be reinforced by maintaining safe, accessible environments.
By Megan Huws, RoadCC
