Forced to Drive or Loving Driving?

In rural America, young people overwhelmingly prefer driving to using other forms of transit, whether that's a function of the options available or natural preference is subject to debate.

1 minute read

January 28, 2017, 7:00 AM PST

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Cars

Vasilyev Alexandr / Shutterstock

A recent study from Montana State University found that, unlike their peers in suburban and urban communities, Millennials in rural areas prefer to drive. According to this study, 87% of Millennials from rural areas and small towns prefer to travel by car. "Just 0.5 percent of rural America uses public transportation to get to work, compared to 6.2 percent of urbanites," according to reporting from Aarian Marshall in Wired. The tendency to use automotive transport was not just a product of long work commutes, "Even among Millennials still in school, just one in five want to use the bus, while three quarters are still all about cars," Marshall writes.

What causes this stated preference is debatable, it could be that the infrastructure doesn't exist and so it's hard for Millennials in these communities to express a preference for something they haven’t experienced, or it could be that this is a deeply rooted value. The authors of the study tell Marshall that the transit options of rural communities is an area that hasn't been studied enough, and that they hope the question of what causes the car preference will motivate future study.

Thursday, January 26, 2017 in Wired

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today