Do teleactivities lead to more sustainable travel? Evidence from the 2017 and 2022 U.S. National Household Travel Surveys

Abstract The use of ride-hailing services, online shopping, and telecommuting are behaviors which have recently increased dramatically in popularity, due in part to technological advancement and global events such as the Covid-19 pandemic. In theory, these behaviors may have the potential to shift people towards more sustainable travel. This study aims to explore the influences of ride-hailing, online shopping, and telecommuting on household vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and walking trip generation using the 2017 and 2022 U.S. National Household Travel Surveys (NHTS). Results reveal that the frequencies of all three activities increased between 2017 and 2022, online shopping and telecommuting showing positive correlations with VMT generation, and higher mean VMT associated with all three activities in 2017 and with online shopping and telecommuting in 2022. Regression models further indicate that telecommuting is most strongly associated with more sustainable travel, with seven of the eight models estimated indicating lower VMT generation and more walking trips associated with telecommuting. Ride-hailing service usage was also associated with lower VMT and more walking trips in six models. The results for online shopping are mixed, with our models showing that online shopping leads to more walking trips, but also higher VMT. The results of this study indicate that ride-hailing services and telecommuting may play an important role in shifts towards more sustainable travel behavior. Suggestions are presented for maximizing shifts to sustainable travel modes and minimizing potential inequitable effects, including designing for increased walkability, particularly in predominately minority areas, and the promotion of transit-oriented development.