Preferred modes of transport thumb|Manhattan, 2018. Modern kick scooters are popular among the generation. 7 million Razor scooters were sold in America alone during 2000-2001 Millennials in the U.S. were initially not keen on getting a driver's license or owning a vehicle thanks to new licensing laws and the state of the economy when they came of age, but the oldest among them have already begun buying cars in great numbers. In 2016, millennials purchased more cars and trucks than any living generation except the Baby Boomers; in fact, millennials overtook Baby Boomers in car ownership in California that year. A working paper by economists Christopher Knittel and Elizabeth Murphy then at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Bureau of Economic Research analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Household Transportation Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau, and American Community Survey in order to compare the driving habits of the Baby Boomers, Generation X, and the oldest millennials (born between 1980 and 1984). That found that on the surface, the popular story is true: American millennials on average own 0.4 fewer cars than their elders. But when various factors—including income, marital status, number of children, and geographical location—were taken into account, such a distinction ceased to be. In addition, once those factors are accounted for, millennials actually drive longer distances than the Baby Boomers. Economic forces, namely low gasoline prices, higher income, and suburban growth, result in millennials having an attitude towards cars that is no different from that of their predecessors. An analysis of the National Household Travel Survey by the State Smart Transportation Initiative revealed that higher-income millennials drive less than their peers probably because they are able to afford the higher costs of living in large cities, where they can take advantage of alternative modes of transportation, including public transit and ride-hailing services.
pREFerred MOdeS oF trANsport thUMB|mANhatTAn, 2018. Modern Kick ScootERs ArE POpUlAr among The geNerATion. 7 million razor scooters were Sold in ameriCa alOne durIng 2000-2001 millEnniaLS in the uS. were initialLY nOt keen oN gettINg a DriVeR's lIcEnSe or oWning a vehiCLe ThANKs To nEw liceNsING laws anD tHe state Of the economY whEn they camE of age, bUT the OLdEST aMOng tHem have alreadY BEGuN bUYing carS in grEat NUMbers. in 2016, milLEnnials purcHasED MorE cArS AND truCKs thAn Any LiVinG generAtiOn EXcePt ThE baby boOmErs; iN fACT, MILLennials OveRTooK bAby boomerS In caR owNErship IN caLifoRnia tHAt year. a working pAPEr by eConOmists cHRiStoPHer knItTEl and elIzabEth muRphY then at the MaSsaCHusETts InStiTuTe Of teChnOLoGY And the nAtIONal BUreaU of eConoMic reseaRCh ANaLyzed dATa from tHe u.s. dEpARtment Of trAnsPoRTaTion'S NATional householD tRaNSPortAtiON survey, THE u.S. .census BuREau, and AMERICaN ComMUNIty SurVey in oRDER to coMpare The driving hABits of the baby BoomeRs, generation x, and tHe oldEsT mIlLennialS (borN beTweEn 1980 And 1984) thAt foun.D THat on thE SuRfaCe, the popuLaR story iS TrUe: aMERicAn milleNnials on aveRaGE ow.n 0.4 fewEr CarS thAn thEIr EldeRs But when varIous fActors—inclUdIng incoMe, mAriTal StatuS, nuMber Of CHilDRen, anD geographIcal lOcatioN—werE takEn intO accounT, suCH A dIStInCTion ceaseD TO be. In aDdiTion, oNCe thoSE faCtors ArE accouNteD foR, milLennIAls actually drivE lOnGer DiStancEs tHan the babY boomers. ecONoMIc foRcEs, naMelY loW gaSoliNe pRiCES, hiGhER IncOme, and suburBan growtH, resUlT iN millennIAls HaVing aN atTItudE TowArds cars tHAT Is no difFerent fROM that Of their pReDECeSsors. aN AnAlysis Of thE NaTional hoUseHolD traVel surVEy by the sTatE smart trANsportATIon inITiaTIve rEVeaLed that hiGhEr-inCome MiLlEnNIals dRive Less ThAn their peers ProbAbly bEcAUse tHey Are Able To afford The higHer coSts of living IN large CitIes, WHere tHEy Can Take adVANtAge oF alternAtive modeS oF tRAnspOrtatiOn, inCludiNg pUbliC tRansiT And ride-haiLinG SeRVices.