IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cdl/uctcwp/qt6q8518s4.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Telecommunications and travel demand and supply: Aggregate structural equation models for the US

Author

Listed:
  • Choo, Sangho
  • Mokhtarian, Patricia L

Abstract

Disaggregate studies of the impacts of telecommunications applications (e.g. telecommuting) on travel have generally found a net substitution effect. However, such studies have all been short-term and small-scale, and there is reason to believe that when more indirect and longer-term effects are accounted for, complementarity is the likely outcome. At least two aggregate studies have focused on the relationships between telecommunications and travel from economic perspectives (consumer and industry). However, both use the monetary value of consumption or transactions rather than actual activity measures (e.g. miles, number of calls), and neither fully explains the direct and indirect causal relationships between the two. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model in a comprehensive framework, considering causal relationships among travel, telecommunications, land use, economic activity, and socio-demographics, and to explore the aggregate relationships between telecommunications and travel, using structural equation modeling of national time series data spanning 1950–2000 in the US. In this paper we focus on number of telephone calls as the measure of telecommunications, and passenger vehicle–miles traveled as the measure of transportation. Future research will investigate additional measures of these two constructs. Our empirical results strongly support the hypothesis that telecommunications and travel are complementary. That is, as telecommunications demand increases, travel demand increases, and vice versa. These results offer a more realistic picture to policy makers and transportation planners than has been available till now, and suggest useful directions for them to develop transportation or telecommunications strategies designed to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and energy consumption.

Suggested Citation

  • Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2008. "Telecommunications and travel demand and supply: Aggregate structural equation models for the US," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt6q8518s4, University of California Transportation Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt6q8518s4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/6q8518s4.pdf;origin=repeccitec
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Golob, Thomas F., 2003. "Structural equation modeling for travel behavior research," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 1-25, January.
    2. Noland, Robert B., 2001. "Relationships between highway capacity and induced vehicle travel," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 35(1), pages 47-72, January.
    3. Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 1990. "A Typology of Relationships Between Telecommunications And Transportation," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt4rx589m0, University of California Transportation Center.
    4. Sangho Choo & Patricia Mokhtarian & Ilan Salomon, 2005. "Does telecommuting reduce vehicle-miles traveled? An aggregate time series analysis for the U.S," Transportation, Springer, vol. 32(1), pages 37-64, January.
    5. Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 2002. "Telecommunications and Travel: The Case for Complementarity," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 6(2), pages 43-57, April.
    6. Plaut, Pnina O., 1997. "Transportation-communications relationships in industry," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 419-429, November.
    7. David L. Greene, 1992. "Vehicle Use and Fuel Economy: How Big is the "Rebound" Effect?," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1), pages 117-144.
    8. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2005. "Do Telecommunications Affect Passenger Travel or Vice Versa? Structural Equation Models of Aggregate U.S. Time Series Data Using Composite Indexes," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2zp5b7zv, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    9. Mokhtarian, Patricia & Handy, Susan & Salomon, Ilan, 1995. "Methodological Issues in the Estimation of the Travel, Energy, and Air Quality Impacts of Telecommuting," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt44n3k2jp, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    10. Schafer, Andreas, 1998. "The global demand for motorized mobility," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 455-477, August.
    11. P. Bentler & Edward Freeman, 1983. "Tests for stability in linear structural equation systems," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 48(1), pages 143-145, March.
    12. Mokhtarian, Patricia & Meenakshisundaram, Ravikumar, 1999. "Beyond Tele-Substitution: Disaggregate Longitudinal Structural Equations Modeling of Communication Impacts," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt4hg365gh, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    13. Hansen, Mark & Huang, Yuanlin, 1997. "Road supply and traffic in California urban areas," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 205-218, May.
    14. Selvanathan, E. A. & Selvanathan, Saroja, 1994. "The demand for transport and communication in the United Kingdom and Australia," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 1-9, February.
    15. Carol A. Dahl, 1986. "Gasoline Demand Survey," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1), pages 67-82.
    16. Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Handy, Susan L. & Salomon, Ilan, 1995. "Methodological issues in the estimation of the travel, energy, and air quality impacts of telecommuting," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 283-302, July.
    17. Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 1998. "A Synthetic Approach to Estimating the Impacts of Telecommuting on Travel," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 35(2), pages 215-241, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2007. "Telecommunications and travel demand and supply: Aggregate structural equation models for the US," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 4-18, January.
    2. Choo, Sangho, 2003. "Aggregate Relationships between Telecommunications and Travel: Structural Equation Modeling of Time Series Data," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt4p78h623, University of California Transportation Center.
    3. Choo, Sangho & Mokhtarian, Patricia L. & Salomon, Ilan, 2002. "Impacts of Home-Based Telecommuting on Vehicle-Miles Traveled: A Nationwide Time Series Analysis," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt2gj976x6, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    4. Lee, Taihyeong & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2004. "An Input-Output Analysis of the Relationships between Communications and Travel for Industry," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt09n3d2k1, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    5. Taihyeong Lee & Patricia Mokhtarian, 2008. "Correlations between industrial demands (direct and total) for communications and transportation in the U.S. economy 1947–1997," Transportation, Springer, vol. 35(1), pages 1-22, January.
    6. Nicholas S. Caros & Jinhua Zhao, 2022. "Preparing urban mobility for the future of work," Papers 2201.01321, arXiv.org.
    7. Kong, Hui & Moody, Joanna & Zhao, Jinhua, 2020. "ICT’s impacts on ride-hailing use and individual travel," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1-15.
    8. Golob, Thomas F., 2002. "travelbehavior.com - Activity Approaches to Modeling the Effects of Information Technology on Personal Travel Behavior," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt9t40s1mc, University of California Transportation Center.
    9. Choo, Sangho & Lee, Taihyeong & Mokhtarian, Patricia L, 2006. "Relationships between U.S. Consumer Expenditures on Communications and Travel: 1984-2002," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt1gm08532, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    10. Sungtaek Choi & Sangho Choo & Sujae Kim, 2020. "Is the Relationship between Transportation and Communications Industries Complementary or Substitutional? An Asian Countries-Based Empirical Analysis Using Input-Output Accounts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-21, April.
    11. Melo, Patrícia C. & de Abreu e Silva, João, 2017. "Home telework and household commuting patterns in Great Britain," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 1-24.
    12. Pengyu Zhu, 2013. "Telecommuting, Household Commute and Location Choice," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(12), pages 2441-2459, September.
    13. Ozbilen, Basar & Wang, Kailai & Akar, Gulsah, 2021. "Revisiting the impacts of virtual mobility on travel behavior: An exploration of daily travel time expenditures," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 49-62.
    14. Brown, Colby & Balepur, Prashant & Mokhtarian, Patricia L., 2005. "Communication Chains: A Methodology for Assessing the Effects of the Internet on Communication and Travel," University of California Transportation Center, Working Papers qt4cf351bc, University of California Transportation Center.
    15. Ben-Elia, Eran & Alexander, Bayarma & Hubers, Christa & Ettema, Dick, 2014. "Activity fragmentation, ICT and travel: An exploratory Path Analysis of spatiotemporal interrelationships," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 56-74.
    16. Georges A. Tanguay & Ugo Lachapelle, 2019. "Potential Impacts of Telecommuting on Transportation Behaviours, Health and Hours Worked in Québec," CIRANO Project Reports 2019rp-07, CIRANO.
    17. Pengyu Zhu & Liping Wang & Yanpeng Jiang & Jiangping Zhou, 2018. "Metropolitan size and the impacts of telecommuting on personal travel," Transportation, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 385-414, March.
    18. Khandker Nurul Habib & Ph. D. & PEng, 2020. "On the Factors Influencing the Choices of Weekly Telecommuting Frequencies of Post-secondary Students in Toronto," Papers 2004.04683, arXiv.org.
    19. Mokhtarian, Patricia & Meenakshisundaram, Ravikumar, 1999. "Beyond Tele-Substitution: Disaggregate Longitudinal Structural Equations Modeling of Communication Impacts," Institute of Transportation Studies, Working Paper Series qt4hg365gh, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis.
    20. Patricia L. Mokhtarian, 1998. "A Synthetic Approach to Estimating the Impacts of Telecommuting on Travel," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 35(2), pages 215-241, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:cdl:uctcwp:qt6q8518s4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Lisa Schiff (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/itucbus.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.