Role of Income on Travel Behavior in Polluted Air

Abstract

This study investigated how travel behavior changes under polluted air conditions and how this differs in relation to the financial status of travelers. We analyzed the data on a household travel survey and on air quality collected from the capital region in South Korea. The modeling outcomes authenticate the impacts of air quality on both trip generation and mode choice and the involvement of the income of travelers. People responded to polluted air by reducing their trips and avoiding walking outside or riding bikes. The higher-income groups made fewer trips during weekends and used motorized transportation modes more than others. People with lower incomes also sensitively reacted to polluted air by changing their transportation modes to more protective ones, especially public transit. The findings show social disparity regarding travel behaviors in polluted air and emphasize the importance of public transit for lower-income communities to minimize their exposure to polluted air.

Keywords: travel behavior, trip generation, mode choice, air quality, PM10, income