Full Citation
Title: Gender and Commuting Behavior: Evidence from the American Time Use Survey
Citation Type: Working Paper
Publication Year: 2016
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Abstract: A wealth of research has shown that the commutes of American women are shorter, both in time and distance, than those of American men. This study takes advantage of a large, nationally representative dataset, the American Time Use Survey (ATUS), to examine this relationship. A basic labor supply model is presented, with testable predictions about relationships between commuting time and worker characteristics that could explain the gender gap. Additionally, the detailed commuting characteristics derived from the ATUS make possible an examination of gender differences in the character of commutes, including the number, length, and type of stops along the way. Results show that women tend to make more stops between home and work. Even controlling for marital status and the presence of children, women are more likely to be accompanied by children for their commute. Moreover, the stops made by women along this journey tend to be longer than those for men. These differences in commute character necessitate the use of a methodology that accounts for stop duration in the calculation of commuting time. Blinder-Oaxaca decompositions are performed to decompose the gender commuting gap by estimating a model in which these characteristics are fully interacted with gender. Results support two previously proposed explanations for the gender commuting gap, based on gender differences in wages and types of jobs held. The evidence does not support the explanation that womens greater household responsibility contributes to the gender commuting gap.
Url: http://bae.uncg.edu/econ/files/2016/05/GenderAndCommutingBehavior.pdf
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Authors: Kimbrough, Gray
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Publication Number: 16-04
Institution: University of North Carolina at Greensboro
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Publisher Location: Greensboro, NC
Data Collections: IPUMS Time Use - ATUS
Topics: Gender, Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Other
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