Generational differences in household car ownership

Abstract

The stagnation of car demand had been observed in many countries. A similar phenomenon had emerged in Taiwan. From the perspective of socio-demographic characteristics, this study employs quantile regression for count data to investigate generational differences in household car ownership in Taiwan. The results show that the socio-demographic characteristics affected household car ownership. Due to the seniority effects, households in the later life-cycle stages and households with a higher proportion of elderly members would reduce car demand. But, households with the middle-aged heads owned more cars due to their better economic ability. The income effects are greater for higher income households. Household car ownership varied across generations, which was related to the income effects, the life course, and household structure. Hence, the demographic changes and generational differences in travel preferences should be considered in urban transportation planning. Seamless transportation and senior-friendly facilities would be important for transportation demand management.