Changes in the Percentage of Students Who Walk or Bike to School—United States, 1969 and 2001
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Background:
This report describes changes in the percentage of US students (age 5 to 18 years) who walked or bicycled to school and in the distance that they lived from or traveled to their school in 1969 and 2001 and travel patterns in 2001.
Methods:
Data were from the 1969 National Personal Transportation Survey report on school travel and the 2001 National Household Transportation Survey.
Results:
A smaller percentage of students lived within 1 mile of school in 2001 than in 1969. The percentage of students who walked or biked any distance decreased from 42.0% to 16.2%. Nearly half of students used more than 1 travel mode or went to an additional destination en route between home and school in 2001.
Conclusion:
Multidisciplinary efforts are needed to increase the percentage of students who walk or bike to school, as well as decrease the distances that students travel.
Ham and Kohl are with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341. Martin is with DBA Program Evaluation Across the Nation Using Technology (PEANUT) Farmington, ME 04938.
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