Changes in travel mode use associated with the transition of leaving full-time education across early adulthood: A multilevel interrupted time series analysis

A growing body of evidence shows decreases in car use, and in some contexts, increases in the use of alternative sustainable travel modes, including public transport and bicycle, for the younger generations. However, it is less known to what extent this sustainable travel pattern persists as young adults navigate through life transitions across age. Focusing on the transition of leaving full-time education, this study investigated changes in travel mode use pre-post the transition across early adulthood (age 16 to 30 years). Using data from the Netherlands Mobility Panel (MPN), our multilevel interrupted time series analysis found that young adults increased car use but cycled less often, immediately and over years after completion of education. Public transport use declined immediately after the transition and sustained at a low level across post-transition years, indicating leaving full-time education as a transitional timing for changes in transit use. Moreover, the relationship between leaving full-time education and changes in travel mode use depended on personal car ownership, residential location and employment status in post-transition years. These findings have implications for targeting the transitional period of early adulthood for interventions to retain the sustainable travel pattern as observed when young adults are enrolled in education.