Vägen till jobbet : Om kvinnors och mäns arbetsresor i förändring

Sammanfattning: Equal access to work is a central dimension of welfare and the starting point for this study. From a geographical point of view this highlights issues of gender-related differences in distance and travel between home and work. Also, in Swedish regional planning and policy, the key concept of regional enlargement (i.e. geographically extended labor markets and associated longer commuting distances) is an explicit goal in order to stimulate economic growth and improve the matching of labor supply and demand. Since there has been no research conducted on changes over time with regard to similarities and differences of gender and work trips, the present study analyzes the Swedish case. The urban regions of Malmö and Göteborg are further analyzed, since they demonstrate both large (Göteborg) and small (Malmö) gender differences in commuting distance. The overriding aim of the research project is thus to improve current knowledge about work trips among women and men, such as changes over time, as well as how certain factors (e.g., income, education, family situation) interact with gender differences in commuting distance. Focus is set on a deeper knowledge of women’s and men's commuting due to the relevance of conditions related to work and labor market equality between the sexes, as well as the fact that the average commuting distance of women historically is shorter than that of men (measured in distance). Swedish national travel survey data (Riks RVU 94/95 and RES 05/06) covering the periods 1994/95 and 2005/06 are used for the empirical analysis. The results show that work trip changes have occurred over time, but gender differences have only decreased to a small extent. Women still commute shorter distances than men do, but have very similar commuting times. A major share of the increase in average commuting distance is matched by an increase in commuting time, suggesting that the observed increase in commuting distances should not primarily be ascribed to faster means of transportation. In an analysis of changes over time at the regional level a distinct pattern of convergence between the sexes is seen in the Malmö region, as well as a pattern of divergence in the Göteborg region. Both national and regional level results imply that it is more the increase in commuting distance by car than the increase in trip frequency by car that has contributed to the stretched labor markets. It is also shown that access to the car does not seem to be a primary explanation for the difference in commuting distance between women and men in the two regions. Changes in commuting patterns in the two regions may be explained by changes in the labor market structure (as regards the composition of industry) and localization patterns of places of work.