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Subjective well-being in China: how much does commuting matter?

Author

Listed:
  • Zhenjun Zhu

    (Southeast University)

  • Zhigang Li

    (Wuhan University)

  • Hongsheng Chen

    (Sun Yat-Sen University)

  • Ye Liu

    (Sun Yat-Sen University)

  • Jun Zeng

    (Southeast University)

Abstract

With rapidly increasing urbanization and motorization in China, the effect of commuting on residents’ subjective well-being (SWB) is likely growing. We used 13,261 individual, 124 city, and 401 neighbourhood samples from the 2014 China Labour-Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS 2014) and applied multilevel mixed-effects ordered probit regressions to investigate the relationship between commuting and SWB. We found huge differences between urban and rural areas in relation to commuting. Urban respondents’ daily average commuting time was 0.56 h while rural respondents’ daily average commuting time was 0.41 h. Further, the daily average commute time for residents living in cities with high urbanization rates (> 70%) was longer than for those living in cities with low urbanization rates (

Suggested Citation

  • Zhenjun Zhu & Zhigang Li & Hongsheng Chen & Ye Liu & Jun Zeng, 2019. "Subjective well-being in China: how much does commuting matter?," Transportation, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 1505-1524, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:transp:v:46:y:2019:i:4:d:10.1007_s11116-017-9848-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s11116-017-9848-1
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    4. Philippe Gerber & Marius Thériault & Christophe Enaux & Samuel Carpentier-Postel, 2020. "Links between Attitudes, Mode Choice, and Travel Satisfaction: A Cross-Border Long-Commute Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, November.
    5. Moritz Kersting & Eike Matthies & Jörg Lahner & Jan Schlüter, 2021. "A socioeconomic analysis of commuting professionals," Transportation, Springer, vol. 48(5), pages 2127-2158, October.
    6. Wang, Xize & Liu, Tao, 2022. "The Roads One Must Walk Down: Commute and Depression for Beijing’s Residents," SocArXiv dj8av, Center for Open Science.
    7. Murong Guo & Kuang Tang & Zicheng Wang, 2020. "Commuting time and sickness absence in China: Rural/urban variations and Hukou impacts," The Economic and Labour Relations Review, , vol. 31(1), pages 76-95, March.
    8. Mars, Lidón & Arroyo, Rosa & Ruiz, Tomás, 2022. "Mobility and wellbeing during the covid-19 lockdown. Evidence from Spain," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 107-129.
    9. Tao, Yinhua & van Ham, Maarten & Petrović, Ana & Ta, Na, 2023. "A household perspective on the commuting paradox: Longitudinal relationships between commuting time and subjective wellbeing for couples in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
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