Based on the scoping review, a conceptual framework (TRAWEL) was deductively developed to understand wellbeing measures in five broader dimensions of transportation: transportation infrastructure, the built environment, and transport externalities at a societal level, travel and time use, and travel satisfaction at the individual level. In scoping the existing literature, the chapter identifies studies reporting on a link between one of the seven transport indicators (mobility, affordability, accessibility, connectivity, externality, travel needs, and attitudes) and QoL.
However, relatively little is known about the interconnectedness between various transport dimensions and wellbeing measures. Transportation has been recently recognized as a key element in the study of individual Quality of Life (QoL). Future research should address the dynamics in experienced travel satisfaction and mode choice.
Policies aimed at promoting the use of more sustainable modes should recognize that heterogeneity exists between travelers, and aim at targeting those with positive attitudes toward changing to active modes and public transport. Switchers from car to active travel on average report higher levels of subjective well-being after the switch. Other evidence suggests, however, that car commuters’ experience of public transport is better than they anticipate, but that they tend to “forget” this after some time. Yet, those who experience public transport more positive than car are likely to keep using it. Regarding the shift from one travel mode to another, some evidence indicates that most car commuters, when switching to public transport, experience lower satisfaction with travel by car. Public transport can be a good alternative to car travel, if requirements of seat availability, accessibility, safety, and cleanliness are met. Taken together, the overview suggests that active modes are an attractive alternative to car travel. These differences are shown to be explained by a variety of factors, which stem from fundamental differences between the travel modes in terms of the intensity of physical activity, mental involvement in the act of travel itself, exposure to and interaction with the vehicle and the wider travel surroundings, and the degree of control over travel circumstances. Studies carried out in different geographic contexts consistently show that satisfaction with active travel modes is higher than travel by car and public transport, and that satisfaction with travel is lowest for different forms of public transport. This chapter discusses how travel by different travel modes is related to primarily subjective well-being but also to health or physical well-being.
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