From online deliveries to travel behavior: Socioeconomic insights from 2009, 2017, and 2022

Jaehyun Ha

Transport Policy, 2025, vol. 168, issue C, 15-26

Abstract: This study examines the evolving landscape of online deliveries and travel behavior using three waves of the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) from 2009, 2017, and 2022. As e-commerce continues to expand and individuals’ shopping behaviors shift, it is important to understand how socioeconomic and geographic factors influence online delivery engagement. The findings reveal persistent disparities over time, with females, well-educated individuals, Whites, high-income households, and employed workers more likely to engage in online deliveries. Notably, while gaps across income levels and age groups have narrowed, disparities in online delivery engagement based on education and employment status have widened. Additionally, we find that online deliveries are positively associated with shopping and meal-related trips, suggesting a complementary relationship. However, there is also evidence of substitution effects as we see a decreasing trend of shopping and meal-related trips over time. These insights contribute to a better understanding of how e-commerce impacts travel demand and highlight the importance of considering socioeconomic variations in transport policy and planning.

Keywords: Online deliveries; Travel behavior; Socioeconomic disparities; NHTS; Transport policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.03.025

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