A big data analysis of the gender gap in mobility at the regional scale: Insights from northern Italy

Abstract

Understanding mobility needs and habits has long been essential for shaping sustainable and equitable transportation systems. Traditional approaches, including surveys and census data, have provided valuable insights into how diverse social groups interact with transport systems, with some attention also given to gender disparities in mobility. Recent advances in data collection, such as cell phone big data (CBD), offer new opportunities to analyze travel patterns with greater depth and granularity. Particularly, CBD enables continuous, non-intrusive data collection, allowing researchers to study mobility habits across various user attributes, including gender, and trip characteristics, such as duration and geography. This study uses CBD to explore gendered mobility patterns in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in Northern Italy. Employing an entropy-based approach, the research investigates systematic and non-systematic trips, focusing on gender differences in travel habits, particularly in isolated rural areas. The analysis highlights seasonal variations and contrasts between inner and denser locations, offering critical insights into the gender gap in regional mobility. By addressing these unexplored dimensions, this work contributes to the broader understanding of mobility inequities and informs policies aimed at reducing gender disparities in transport access and opportunities.

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