A study examines links between housing and job choices and commuting patterns. Few longitudinal studies have examined links between job and housing dynamics and commuting patterns of urban residents. Jiaoe Wang and colleagues conducted a seven-year study that tracked transit smartcards of 4,248 commuters in Beijing, China. Each cardholder commuted by subway at least four days a week. The authors found that individuals whose commutes to the workplace were longer than 45 minutes changed residences to reduce travel times. Conversely, individuals with commutes shorter than 45 minutes increased travel times for better jobs and residences. The authors also examined the commuting patterns, residential profiles, and socioeconomic statuses of four groups of individuals. Stayers, individuals who remained at the same residence and workplace over the study period, were more likely than other groups to have shorter commutes and to be home-owners with middle-to-high-range incomes. Home movers, individuals who changed residences but remained at the same workplace, had middle-range incomes and upgraded from tenancy to ownership, which lengthened commutes. Switchers, individuals who changed both residences and workplaces, tended to move into more expensive homes, which increased commute times. Job hoppers, individuals who frequently changed workplaces but stayed at the same residence, had long commutes and affordable housing, and tended to be migrants with temporary employment and low wages. According to the authors, travel times can influence job and housing choices.
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Article #18-15928: "Tracking job and housing dynamics with smartcard data," by Jie Huang, David Levinson, Jiaoe Wang, Jiangping Zhou, and Zi-jia Wang.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jiaoe Wang, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, CHINA; e-mail: wangje@igsnrr.ac.cn