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The Effects of Employment Center Characteristics on Commuting Time: A Case Study of the Seoul Metropolitan Area

Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: The ongoing debate over whether polycentric urban structures reduce commuting times has yielded conflicting conclusions, highlighting the need for empirical findings in diverse urban contexts and analyses that consider a range of influencing factors. This study analyzed the effects of employment center characteristics on commuting times, using the Seoul Metropolitan Area (SMA) as a case study. A cutoff method identified employment centers within the SMA. Differences in commuting behavior, including average commuting time and mode share, were observed among workers at different employment centers. A multilevel regression model estimated the effect of employment center characteristics, such as industry composition and nearby housing prices, on workers’ commuting time. Key findings include a positive relationship between public transportation (PT) density and commuting time, suggesting that well-designed PT systems may encourage longer commutes. Manufacturing and finance, insurance, and real estate (FIRE) industries negatively impacted commuting times, with manufacturing being associated with the geographic location of centers and FIRE industries being associated with high-income workers, which likely contributed to shorter commutes. On the other hand, the positive relationship between housing prices and commuting times highlights the need for affordable housing near employment centers to reduce commuting times. These findings underscore the complex interactions between each employment center’s characteristics and workers’ socioeconomic factors in shaping commuting behavior.
DOI: 10.3390/ijgi14030116
Language: English
Subfield: Transportation
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,292
OpenAlex ID: W4408220175
FWCI: 5.54
Cites: 58
Cited by: 7
Related to: 10