Mobility behaviors of Italian university students and staff: Exploring the moderating role of commuting distances

Previous studies have focused on the combined impact of psychological factors, situational influences, built environment characteristics and mobility constraints on mobility behaviors. However, no studies have yet focused on exploring how the impact of these predictors change because of different distances to travel among university commuters. Therefore, the present study aims to fill this gap by investigating how commuting distance moderates the influence of the variables mentioned above on mobility behaviors. A total of 4,135 participants from an academic organization in Italy responded to an online questionnaire. Bayesian estimates indicate that the young generation is more willing to use sustainable modes of transport for short (<5 km) and medium (5-30 km) commuting trips. Personal values and family needs are an essential determinant of the car use only for short and medium distance trips while beyond a certain threshold (>30 km), these effects are no longer significant. Within medium distances, easy access to a shared mobility service increases the likelihood of using this mode of transport instead of private car use. Finally, with a reminder of the habit discontinuity hypothesis, people who have experienced more than one disruptive event and need to cover longer distances than before could be more prompt to change their habits toward more sustainable means of transport. Future research, policies, and interventions to encourage the adoption of sustainable means of transport are discussed, taking into consideration the role of different commuting distances.