Escorted Or Independent? Why Children Travel To School The Way They Do In Metropolitan Palembang, Indonesia

Authors

  • Mukhlis Nahriri Bastam Universitas Indo Global Mandiri
  • Revianty Nurmeyliandari Nurhendi Universitas Indo Global Mandiri
  • Muhamad Razuhanafi Mat Yazid Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
  • Muhamad Nazri bin Borhan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
  • Nur Izzi Md Yusoff Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
  • Muhammad Firdaus Universitas Indo Global Mandiri

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31851/deformasi.v11i1.21433

Keywords:

Children’s Independent Mobility, School Travel Behavior, Parental Escort Decision, Household Income, Age-Related Mobility

Abstract

This study examines the determinants of independent school travel among children in Metropolitan Palembang, Indonesia, a city facing increasing motorization and urban expansion. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, primary data were collected through structured questionnaires from 415 parents of school-aged children. A binary logistic regression model was applied to analyze the effects of socio-demographic and spatial factors, including children’s age and gender, household income, school type, and distance between home and school. The findings show that older children and those living closer to school are more likely to travel independently, while girls and children from higher-income households tend to be escorted. School type was not a significant factor. Overall, the results highlight the influence of developmental, social, and spatial factors on parental decisions and offer insights for promoting child-friendly and sustainable urban transport in developing countries

References

Alver, Y., & Odabasi, E. (2024). Enhancing urban sustainable mobility: a binary logistic regression approach to modelling cyclists’ behaviour. 861–867. https://doi.org/10.5592/CO/CETRA.2024.1563

Ayllón, E., Moyano, N., Lozano, A., & Cava, M.-J. (2019). Parents’ Willingness and Perception of Children’s Autonomy as Predictors of Greater Independent Mobility to School. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(5), 732. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16050732

Beacom, E. (2023). Considerations for running and interpreting a binary logistic regression analysis – a research note. DBS Business Review, 5. https://doi.org/10.22375/dbr.v5i.85

Bhuyan, M. R., & Zhang, Y. (2019). Diversity of Children’s Independent Mobility in Dhaka. Urbanisation, 4(2), 59–76. https://doi.org/10.1177/2455747119889915

Breslin, G., Hillyard, M., Brick, N., Shannon, S., McKay-Redmond, B., Shevlin, M., & McConnell, B. (2023). Predicting school uptake of The Daily Mile in Northern Ireland- a data linkage study with School Census Data and Multiple Deprivation Measures. PLOS ONE, 18(12), e0294648. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294648

Carver, A., Panter, J. R., Jones, A. P., & van Sluijs, E. M. F. (2014). Independent mobility on the journey to school: A joint cross-sectional and prospective exploration of social and physical environmental influences. Journal of Transport and Health, 1(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2013.12.003

Christian, H. E., Klinker, C. D., Villanueva, K., Knuiman, M. W., Foster, S. A., Zubrick, S. R., Divitini, M., Wood, L., & Giles-Corti, B. (2015). The Effect of the Social and Physical Environment on Children’s Independent Mobility to Neighborhood Destinations. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 12(s1), S84–S93. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2014-0271

Cui, H., Wu, L., Hu, S., Lu, R., & Wang, S. (2021). Research on the driving forces of urban hot spots based on exploratory analysis and binary logistic regression model. Transactions in GIS, 25(3), 1522–1541. https://doi.org/10.1111/tgis.12739

Darwis, K., Salam, M., Munizu, M., Diansari, P., Bulkis, S., Rahmadanih, Jamil, M. H., Fudjaja, L., Akhsan, Wulandary, A., Ridwan, M., & Ali, H. N. B. (2025). The Application of Binary Logistic Regression in Modeling the Post-COVID-19 Effects on Food Security: In Search of Policy Recommendations in Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods for Food-Insecure Households. Sustainability, 17(14), 6375. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146375

DeWeese, R. S., Yedidia, M. J., Tulloch, D. L., & Ohri-Vachaspati, P. (2013). Neighborhood Perceptions and Active School Commuting in Low-Income Cities. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 45(4), 393–400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2013.04.023

Ghekiere, A., Deforche, B., Carver, A., Mertens, L., de Geus, B., Clarys, P., Cardon, G., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., & Van Cauwenberg, J. (2017a). Insights into children’s independent mobility for transportation cycling—Which socio-ecological factors matter? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 20(3), 267–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2016.08.002

Ghekiere, A., Deforche, B., Carver, A., Mertens, L., de Geus, B., Clarys, P., Cardon, G., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., & Van Cauwenberg, J. (2017b). Insights into children’s independent mobility for transportation cycling—Which socio-ecological factors matter? Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 20(3), 267–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2016.08.002

Han, C. S., Brussoni, M. J., & Mâsse, L. C. (2022). Parental Autonomy Support in the Context of Parent–Child Negotiation for Children’s Independent Mobility: ‘I Always Feel Safer With My Parents’ to ‘Boom! Bust Down Those Walls!’ The Journal of Early Adolescence, 42(6), 737–764. https://doi.org/10.1177/02724316211064513

Hauslbauer, A. L., Verse, B., Guenther, E., & Petzoldt, T. (2024). Access over ownership: Barriers and psychological motives for adopting mobility as a service (MaaS) from the perspective of users and non-users. Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 23, 101005. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.101005

Ibrahim, N. M., Harumain, Y. A. S., & Rosni, N. A. (2024). Children’s Independent Mobility to School in Malaysia. Planning Malaysia, 22(4), 141–155. https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v22i33.1539

Ibrahim, S. T., Desai, H., Patel, J., Khadilkar, A., Bhawra, J., & Katapally, T. R. (2025). Air Pollution-Driven Parental Restrictions: Associations with Children’s Active School Transport in Urban and Rural India. Youth, 5(3), 91. https://doi.org/10.3390/youth5030091

Ikeda, E., Mavoa, S., Cavadino, A., Carroll, P., Hinckson, E., Witten, K., & Smith, M. (2020). Keeping kids safe for active travel to school: A mixed method examination of school policies and practices and children’s school travel behaviour. Travel Behaviour and Society, 21, 57–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tbs.2020.05.008

Jing, P., You, Q., & Chen, L. (2018). Agent-based simulation of children’s school travel mode with parental escort decisions. Information (Switzerland), 9(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/info9030050

Larouche, R., Bélanger, M., Brussoni, M., Faulkner, G., Gunnell, K., & Tremblay, M. S. (2024). Correlates of Active School Transportation During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Canadian 7- to 12-Year-Olds: A National Study. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 21(3), 294–306. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2023-0243

Larsson, K., Anund, A., & Pettigrew, S. (2023). Autonomous shuttles contribution to independent mobility for children – a qualitative pilot study. Journal of Urban Mobility, 4, 100058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urbmob.2023.100058

Mah, S. K., Nettlefold, L., Macdonald, H. M., Winters, M., Race, D., Voss, C., & McKay, H. A. (2017). Does parental support influence children’s active school travel? Preventive Medicine Reports, 6, 346–351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2017.04.008

Mammen, G., Faulkner, G., Buliung, R., & Lay, J. (2012). Understanding the drive to escort: a cross-sectional analysis examining parental attitudes towards children’s school travel and independent mobility. BMC Public Health, 12(1), 862. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-862

Mao, Y., Mei, Q., Jing, P., Zha, Y., Xue, Y., Huang, J., Shao, D., & Luo, P. (2022). Factors Affecting the Parental Intention of Using AVs to Escort Children: An Integrated SEM–Hybrid Choice Model Approach. Sustainability, 14(18), 11640. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811640

Masoumi, H., van Rooijen, M., & Sierpiński, G. (2020). Children’s independent mobility to school in seven European countries: A multinomial logit model. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(23), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17239149

Meesit, R., Puntoomjinda, S., Chaturabong, P., Sontikul, S., & Arunnapa, S. (2023). Factors Affecting Travel Behaviour Change towards Active Mobility: A Case Study in a Thai University. Sustainability, 15(14), 11393. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411393

Motte-Baumvol, B., Bonin, O., & Belton-Chevallier, L. (2017). Who escort children: mum or dad? Exploring gender differences in escorting mobility among parisian dual-earner couples. Transportation, 44(1), 139–157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-015-9630-1

Nyström, M., Henriksson, M., Lindqvist, A.-K., & Rutberg, S. (2023). Making the right decision for our children’s future: Parents’ perceptions of active school travel in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Journal of Transport & Health, 30, 101617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2023.101617

Qiu, L., & Zhu, X. (2021). Housing and Community Environments vs. Independent Mobility: Roles in Promoting Children’s Independent Travel and Unsupervised Outdoor Play. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(4), 2132. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042132

Rachel, C., Roman, N. V., Vickerman, S. A., & Donga, G. T. (2022). Parents’ Perspectives on Children’s Independent Mobility in Selected Rural Towns in South Africa: A Human Capabilities Perspective. Social Sciences, 11(12), 540. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci11120540

Reddy, R., & Pasupuleti, R. S. (2024). Parental Preferences and Non-Spatial Factors Influencing Home-to-school Distance in Urban India: Insights From Visakhapatnam. Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2024.v8n1-13

Rodríguez-Rodríguez, F., Gálvez-Fernández, P., Huertas-Delgado, F. J., Aranda-Balboa, M. J., Saucedo-Araujo, R. G., & Herrador-Colmenero, M. (2021). Parent’s sociodemographic factors, physical activity and active commuting are predictors of independent mobility to school. International Journal of Health Geographics, 20(1), 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12942-021-00280-2

Rutberg, S., Henriksson, M., Andersson, M., Palstam, A., & Lindqvist, A.-K. (2025). My Way to School Through a Camera Lens: Involving Children to Inform a Policy Recommendation on Active School Travel. Health Promotion Practice, 26(3), 437–445. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399241255376

Shafik, N., Mansour, Y., Kamel, S., & Morcos, R. (2021). The Impact of the Cairo Streets Development Project on the Independent Mobility of Children: A Field Study on the Streets of Heliopolis, Egypt. Infrastructures, 6(7), 98. https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures6070098

Sharmin, S., Kamruzzaman, Md., & Haque, M. M. (2021). The proportion of independent to dependent trips: A new measure to understand the effects of the built environment on children independent mobility. Journal of Transport & Health, 22, 101127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2021.101127

Vlaar, J., Brussoni, M., Janssen, I., & Mâsse, L. C. (2019). Roaming the Neighbourhood: Influences of Independent Mobility Parenting Practices and Parental Perceived Environment on Children’s Territorial Range. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3129. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16173129

Wachter, I., & Holz-Rau, C. (2022). Gender differences in work-related high mobility differentiated by partnership and parenthood status. Transportation, 49(6), 1737–1764. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11116-021-10226-z

Westman, J., Friman, M., & Olsson, L. E. (2017). What Drives Them to Drive?—Parents’ Reasons for Choosing the Car to Take Their Children to School. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01970

Yang, Y., & Li, N. (2023). Research on Residents’ Travel Behavior Based on Multiple Logistic Regression Model. IEEE Access, 11, 74759–74767. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3297497

Zannat, K. E., Naim, Md. N. H., Islam, K. M. A., Das, S., Adnan, M. S. G., & Dewan, A. (2023). Does children’s independent mobility matter? Insights into escorting practices in a developing country. Children’s Geographies, 21(4), 677–692. https://doi.org/10.1080/14733285.2022.2106119

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

Escorted Or Independent? Why Children Travel To School The Way They Do In Metropolitan Palembang, Indonesia. (2026). Jurnal Deformasi, 11(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.31851/deformasi.v11i1.21433