Carless or Carfree? Socioeconomic and Mobility Differences Among Zero-Car Households

Abstract

Zero-car households are increasingly viewed by transportation planners and policymakers as a benchmark for a new generation of travelers. The presumption is that these travelers are liberated from the hassle of car ownership and often guided by environmental concerns. But what if the lack of a personal car represents not a chosen freedom but a mobility burden? Using data from the 2012 California Household Travel Survey, this research explored the motivations between those who do not own a car due to choice (car-free) or constraint (car-less). It was found that the majority (79%) of zero-car households are car-less, and these households have similar conditions as the transit population.