Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Comparing Travel Behavior And Opportunities To Increase Transportation Sustainability In Small Cities, Towns And Rural Communities, Erica Quallen, Julia Clarke, Clare Nelson, Gregory Rowangould

University of Vermont Transportation Research Center

The vast majority of travel behavior and sustainable transportation research has focused on urban areas. A rural perspective is lacking. This paper aims to dive deeper into understanding how people travel and their perceptions and opinions about various components of travel in a majority rural state. By speaking directly with Vermonters through in-person interviews, uniquely personal points of view were discovered and analyzed to find commonalities and differences between urban, suburban, and rural Vermonters. Questions on day-to-day challenges of traveling, suggestions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, responses to fuel prices, and opinions on electric vehicles were asked. Some key findings …