Inequity on suburban campuses: University students disadvantaged in self-improvement travel

Abstract

Many new university campuses have been built in suburban areas where transit and service facilities are negligible. However, few studies explore the educational and transportation equity issues related to campus location. Based on a 2017 survey comprising 1673 students on 37 campuses in Shanghai, this study applied multilevel models to examine the association between the built environment around campuses and university students' travel behaviors. In particular, we focused on the travel that students undertake for self-improvement activities (e.g., internships and education-related activities) because this type of travel plays an important role in improving students' abilities and promoting their career development. We found that students on suburban campuses, which are characterized by being farther away from the city center, being single land use, and having fewer transit services, engage in fewer and longer trips to self-improvement destinations. However, students studying on urban campuses, which are characterized by mixed land use and greater accessibility to the city center and subway service, engage in more frequent and shorter trips to self-improvement destinations. Therefore, students on suburban campuses are at a disadvantage regarding educational opportunities and access to transportation to engage in self-improvement activities off campus.