Dual car ownership: the role of intra-household interaction, the commute and the spatial context

In this study it is assumed that in households with two partners, the purchase of a second car is a means to give both partners full access to driving. A car is thus no longer a household good, but an individual transport mode that allows both partners to travel independently of each other. Since this involves additional costs, it can also be assumed that households do this primarily if it is necessary for commuting. Data were collected in urban regions of seven countries around the North Sea (2014). This approach increases generalizability, although country comparison was not an objective. Logit models were estimated on couples and dual earners with at least one car. Household and individual characteristics for both partners were collected, including characteristics of work and car. The
models show that dual earners are more likely to opt for an extra car. Income and the residential environment, including parking space play a role. Households tend to own an extra car if a company car is provided by their employer. Intra-household interaction shows that not only the own commute and work location characteristics exert an influence, but especially the sum of work location
characteristics of both partners, for example if both have free employer-provided parking space. Limited influence of attitudes suggests that purchase is a functional decision. Households own an extra car simply because it is provided by their employer. This suggests that car dependency can be avoided by addressing workplace accessibility.