Dealers are already finding it challenging to reach the Millennial generation because of these potential buyers’ demands for online interaction and increased transparency.

Now a study arrived this week showing how these Americans ages 16 to 34 are leading the way in a significant decline in driving altogether, especially in urban areas.

The report titled, “Transportation in Transition: A Look at Changing Travel Patterns in America’s Biggest Cities,” is based on the most current available government data. Analysts from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group contend their work is the first-ever national study to compare transportation trends for America’s largest cities.

Among the group’s national findings:

—The proportion of workers commuting by private vehicle — either alone or in a carpool — declined in 99 out of 100 of America’s most populous urbanized areas between 2000 and the 2007-2011 period averaged in U.S. Census data.

—From 2006 to 2011, the average number of miles driven per resident fell in almost three-quarters of America’s largest urbanized areas for which up-to-date and accurate Federal Highway Administration data are available (54 out of 74 urban areas).

—The proportion of households without vehicles increased in 84 out of the 100 largest urbanized areas from 2006 to 2011. The proportion of households with two or more vehicles decreased in 86 out of the 100 of these areas during that period.

—The proportion of residents bicycling to work increased in 85 out of 100 of America’s largest urbanized areas between 2000 and 2007-2011.

—The number of passenger-miles traveled per capita on transit increased in 60 out of 98 of America’s large urbanized areas whose trends could be analyzed between 2005 and 2010.

“There is a shift away from driving,” said Phineas Baxandall, senior analyst at the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

“The cities in this report are home to most of America’s population and are engines of the economy.”

Baxandall went on to mention that the Millennial generation — which is believed to comprise the largest share of future travelers — is leading these trends.

Previous research by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group shows that across the nation young people have the steepest reductions in driving.

Americans 16 to 34 years of age reduced their average driving miles by 23 percent between 2001 and 2009, according to the group’s analysis.

The U.S. Public Interest Research Group determined urbanized areas with the largest decline in proportion of workers commuting by private vehicle between 2000 and 2011 included:

1. New York and Newark, N.J.: down by 4.8 percent
2. Washington, D.C.: down by 4.7 percent
3. Austin, Texas: down by 4.5 percent
4. Poughkeepsie and Newburgh, N.Y.: down by 4.0 percent
5. San Francisco and Oakland, Calif.: down by 3.9 percent
6. Portland, Ore.: down by 3.6 percent
7. Seattle: down by 3.6 percent
8. Colorado Springs, Colo.: down by 3.4 percent
9. Charlotte, N.C.: down by 3.4 percent
10. Mission Viejo, Calif.: down 3.1 percent

Furthermore, analysts discovered the proportion of residents working from home has increased in 100 out of the 100 largest urbanized areas since 2000.

Also of note, analysts highlighted the top 10 cities with largest declines in vehicle miles traveled per capita between 2006 and 2011. That group included:

1. New Orleans: down by 22.4 percent
2. Milwaukee: down by 20.9 percent
3. Madison, Wisc.: down by 17.7 percent
4. Harrisburg, Pa.: down by 14.1 percent
5. Pittsburgh: down by 13.0 percent
6. Poughkeepsie and Newburgh, N.Y.: down by 12.4 percent
7. Tulsa, Okla.: down by 11.5 percent
8. Jacksonville, Fla.: down by 10.6 percent
9. Denver and Aurora, Colo.: down 10.6 percent
10. Pensacola, Fla.: down by 10.3 percent

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