Predicting discordance between perceived and estimated walk and bike times among university faculty, staff, and students

Evidence indicates the importance of walking and biking as a form of transportation, known as active travel (AT), on various health outcomes. Time is one of the most cited barriers to AT. The objective of this study was to examine which variables predict walk and bike discordance (discrepancy between perceived an actual travel time) to campus among faculty, staff, and students. This was a cross-sectional online survey conducted in the Fall of 2014 with a volunteer sample of university students (n = 252) and faculty and staff (n = 253) at a large northeastern university. Participants responded to questions on demographics, psychosocial, AT, AT correlates, and residence. Google maps were used to determine time and distance from their residence to their most frequented campus location, from which discordance was determined. Among faculty and staff, bike discordance was associated with gender, age, biking to/from campus, and AT. Walk discordance was associated with walking to/from campus and distance to campus. Among students, bike discordance was associated with having a parking permit, self-efficacy for biking, gender, age, biking to/from campus, and AT. Walk discordance was associated with having a parking permit and distance to campus. Among faculty and staff, current travel behavior and factors relative to more AT behaviors are important predictors of discordance. Similar results were found among students. Individuals who AT more often likely have more concordance due to behavioral exposure. Likewise, those who are more fit are more likely to be health conscious and thus more likely to incorporate physical activity into other aspects of life. Highlights Time is one of the most cited barriers to active travel. Variables associated with discordance (discrepancy between actual travel time and perceived travel time) were determined. A cross-sectional online survey with a sample of university students, and faculty, and staff at a large northeastern university. Travel behavior and factors related to more AT behaviors are important predictors of discordance. Individuals who AT more often and are more fit likely have more concordance due to behavioral exposure.