Correlates of active commuting, transport physical activity, and light rail use in a university setting
Background: Physical inactivity is a global health crisis that continues to worsen. The promotion of active modes of travel, like biking, walking and transit, has been recommended as a strategy to increase physical activity (PA) levels as well as reduce air pollution and traffic congestion. Universities are large employment and education centers and provide a feasible intervention setting. A new light rail transit (LRT) line under construction will connect downtown San Diego to the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) campus and presents a major opportunity to intervene on campus commuting behaviors.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify individual, organizational and environmental factors associated with 1) active commute mode, 2) intention to use the new LRT, and 3) transport PA, in a sample of university staff, students and faculty.

Methods: PA researchers collaborated with planners to develop a survey of commute behaviors and preferences that was distributed to all university staff, faculty and students in 2017. The outcomes of interest included the likelihood of: 1) active versus vehicle commute mode, 2) intention to use LRT versus not, 3) any amount of transport PA versus none, and 4) the duration (min/wk) of TPA in the past week. Multivariable logistic and linear regression models assessed associations between potential correlates and our outcomes.

Results: From the full sample of survey respondents (N=10,943), those with no missing data (n=6,894) were included in the analyses. The intention to use LRT analysis was conducted with a subsample (n=979) with data for that outcome. Results showed that those commuting by biking, walking or transit, achieved greater minutes of transport PA per week, compared to vehicle commuters. Staff were less likely to commute via active modes and had fewer minutes of transport PA, compared to students, suggesting a promising intervention group. Compared to males, females had less transport PA and were less comfortable on all cycling facilities, indicating interventions may need to be gender specific. Discounted transit pass and rideshare use were positively associated with all outcomes, highlighting incentives that
could encourage AT. A significant increase in comfort when cycling with greater separation from traffic was found, suggesting the need for bicycle infrastructure improvements. Environmental variables, like distance to campus and transit stops were associated with commute mode and intention to use LRT.

Conclusion: Nearly 70% of the study sample were vehicle commuters, underscoring the need for effective programs to achieve both health and sustainability goals. Results demonstrated the link between commute behaviors and PA and provided insight into intervention strategies and campus programs that may encourage a shift from vehicle commuting to active modes. Well-designed interventions in conjunction with transit infrastructure could provide much needed insight into the most successful policies and behavior change strategies to incur mode shift at a scale that is meaningful for the health of individuals and the environment.

Presenter: Katie Crist
Agency Affiliation: University of California, San Diego

Presenter Biographical Statement: [biography]