Work

Urban commuting behavior and time allocation among women: Evidence from US metropolitan areas

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: This paper examines the determinants of commuting time and hours worked among women living in US metropolitan areas. The empirical analysis using the data of the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS-USA) shows that commuting time and hours worked have a positive relationship. However, commuting time and hours worked are not direct causal relation but are affected by the common factors: wage rate and preference for non-work activity time based on the theoretical model of time allocation. Commuting time increases with wages because the disutility of longer commutes must be compensated by higher wage income. The results of our empirical analysis show that commuting time is significantly dependent on wages, marital status, presence of children and household automobile ownership. Policies alleviating constraints of commuting and improving public transport are crucial for improving work-life balance and expanding job opportunities for married women with many household responsibilities, which help to reduce regional labour market inequality.

Source: Regional Science Policy & Practice

DOI: 10.1111/rsp3.12261

Author: Akiko Sakanishi

Institution: Ritsumeikan University

Language: English

Topic: Transportation Planning and Optimization

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Decent work and economic growth, Gender equality, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,500