On May 30, researchers from StudentMoveTO are announcing key results from the largest-ever study on student transportation. Launched in 2019, the study sought to understand ways to improve transportation experiences for post-secondary students in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). Ten universities and colleges participated in the study. More than 15,000 students provided input to inform the findings between September, 2019 and April, 2022.
College and university students in the GTHA account for more than 600,000 daily commuters on an already crowded transportation system. The study was designed to help identify the changes that need to be put forward in order to increase the quality of life for students, and the overall vitality of the GTHA and its transportation infrastructure.
Initial results of the study indicate the impacts that a commute has on academic performance:
- The majority of students reported their commute to be a barrier to their campus participation (61 per cent)
- 40 per cent of respondents said their commute discouraged them from coming to campus, and 48 per cent said they picked courses based on their commute.
- Nearly one third (30 per cent) of students viewed their commute as a barrier to their academic success.
The researchers also factored in changes in transportation and movement habits brought on by COVID-19. A pre-post study compared student travel behaviour change between fall, 2019 and spring, 2022. Responses from 460 students show how the pandemic affected their transportation habits:
- The use of local transit fell from 46 per cent in fall, 2019 to 39 per cent in spring, 2022
- The frequency of local transit use also declined post-pandemic. Of all students who were using transit "almost everyday" for transportation purposes pre-pandemic, only 40 per cent were doing so in 2022. Instead, the majority (57 per cent) were using transit on a weekly or monthly basis.
- Rates of driving to and from schools increased, while active transportation usage (walking and cycling) remained similar.
Results of the study will be discussed at a research symposium on June 3rd (York University) and 4th (Toronto Metropolitan University). The symposium will discuss insights from the StudentMoveTO study and their implications for creating better transportation services in this region, and improving student well-being.
Both events are open to the public and media are invited to attend for interviews and additional information.
The StudentMoveTO study included participation from:
- Centennial College
- Durham College
- OCAD University
- McMaster University
- Mohawk College
- Toronto Metropolitan University
- Sheridan College
- Ontario Tech University
- University of Toronto
- York University
The research project was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant. It included four community partners including Metrolinx, City of Toronto, The Centre for Active Transportation (TCAT) and Maximum City, with the goal of facilitating the translation of insights from this study into actions leading to better transportation systems in this region..
For more information about StudentMoveTO visit https://www.studentmoveto.ca/.
Quotes:
"The StudentMoveTO program has generated insights that will help advance planning and advocacy for post-secondary students and their everyday transportation needs. What we have learned, post-pandemic, is that public transportation is still incredibly important, and must continue to be accessible. This study will help inform stakeholders as they look for ways to improve the transportation systems in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area."
- Raktim Mitra, Principal Investigator -School of Urban and Regional Planning, Toronto Metropolitan University
"Our in-depth interviews, during a difficult time of COVID-19 restrictions no less, revealed a world of mobility related issues that post-secondary students in the GTHA face as they are striving to coordinate school, live work and entertainment in their lives. These issues are usually hidden from sight when one looks at student life purely from the point of view of the learning environment in the classroom or the lab. Our findings will provide a plethora of insights for leaders in institutions of higher education and policy makers in the transportation field alike."
- Roger Keil, Co-Investigator -Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University
