Who Rides and Who Drives? Lifecycle Patterns of Vehicle Passenger Travel in Greater Melbourne

Passenger travel represents an important but understudied component of urban mobility, reflecting dependence on others for access to activities. Using travel survey data from the Victorian Integrated Survey of Travel and Activity (VISTA), this study examines lifecycle patterns in vehicle passenger travel and its determinants in Greater Melbourne. Results show a pronounced U-shaped trajectory, with very high reliance during childhood, a sharp decline during adulthood, and a modest increase in later life. A binary logit model shows that passenger travel is strongly associated with lifecycle stage, gender, household size, car availability, and trip purpose, highlighting the role of shared mobility and resource constraints.