Suggested Citation:
Handy, Susan L., Yan Xing, Theodore J. Buehler, Jamey Volker (2011)

Bicycling in Davis and Five Other Small Cities

. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Research Report UCD-ITS-RR-11-45

Abstract:

One hundred and forty years after its invention, the bicycle remains an important element of the transportation system. However, bicycling accounts for less than 1 percent of all trips for all purposes in the U.S., according to the 2000 National Household Transportation Survey, while shares of trips by bicycle in European countries are anywhere from four times (in the U.K., France, and Italy) to 28 times (in the Netherlands) that of the U.S.  These differences raise an important question for transportation planners in the U.S.: can they create conditions within the U.S., within the context of its physical and social environments, that will increase bicycle ownership and use, especially bicycling for transportation?  This study examines factors influencing bicycle ownership, use and commuting in Davis and five other bicycling cities. We use data collected through an on-line survey conducted in early fall 2006 to examine the relative influences of the physical and social environments, as well as individual factors, including socio-demographic characteristics and attitudes toward bicycling. The purpose of this study is to provide a stronger empirical basis for the development of strategies to promote bicycling by contributing to an improved understanding of factors influencing the decision to own and use a bicycle.