The influence of rural built environment on residents' non-commuting travel mode choices

With the rapid urbanization in China, rural communities featuring centralized farmer residences have expanded significantly. However, limited research has focused on how the built environment influences non-commuting travel mode choices in these areas. This study analyzed non-commuting travel in 12 rural communities in Chengdu using Extreme Gradient Boosting and SHapley Additive exPlanations models to examine nonlinear relationships between built environment variables—the “5Ds” (density, diversity, design, destination accessibility, distance to transit) and green space density—and travel modes (walk, car, bus, two-wheeler). Key findings reveal that moderate green space density enhances walking and two-wheeler use, while too low or high levels discourage them. Proximity to the city center increases walking and reduces reliance on cars and two-wheelers. Higher building density promotes walking, but higher population density discourages it. Road density favors walking and two-wheelers but may deter car use. Moderate land use mix supports two-wheeler and bus use; excessive diversity may deter walking. Insufficient public transportation discourages bus usage despite accessibility. These insights highlight the need to tailor rural built environments to promote sustainable, non-commuting travel behaviors.