Changes in Transport Behavior by the Fragmentation of Activities

Abstract

The present article was based on an empirical study aiming to reveal the relationship and interaction between use of information and communication technology (ICT) and travel behavior. To this end, a concept is developed built around the basic idea that technological developments, both in the travel and especially in the communication sector, increase flexibility, thus enabling a fundamental reorganization of activities. A major feature of the interplay between ICT and travel is the spatial-temporal fragmentation of activities, which can cause both quantitative and qualitative changes in traffic volume. Questions of this type can only be answered by a long-term study. For this reason, the study presented here is set up as a representative panel, allowing further studies in the future. Using the results of the first set of data, the article describes the relationship between communication and mobility patterns and individual characteristics of people with varying affinities to ICT and which activity-specific ICT use is typical for groups of varying affinity. The article's initial evaluation of an extensive set of data allows a clear description of the relationship between ICT use, communication behavior, and mobility behavior, while providing evidence that the question is a legitimate one.