Sustainable travel surge in latest AA Members’ survey

Driving is the number one way New Zealanders get from A to B, but more people are choosing walking, cycling and public transport according to the latest survey of AA Members.

More than 7000 respondents’ revealed their transport habits in the 2025 AA Member survey and one of the noteworthy results was a growth in trips not using a car.

While 97% of Members drove in the four weeks before taking the survey, 60% also made walking trips, 15% had cycled (pushbike, e-bike or both), 15% bused and 6% hopped on a train.

The survey showed people were using all forms of transport more overall than a year ago however it was the sustainable travel options that had the biggest proportionate gains.

AA spokesperson Dylan Thomsen says practical factors like whether people are going to multiple destinations, where people work and live and convenience are still crucial in people’s travel choices but additional things have likely had some sway.

“The rising cost of living is very likely influencing how people are choosing to travel or whether they are going to travel at all. One reason for the increase in sustainable travel may be due to more people weighing up the costs of driving and finding other modes easier on their budget.”

Of the 15% of respondents that said they were driving less the top reasons were that they were travelling less frequently (43%), the cost of using their car had increased (32%) and they had started using other transport options (23%). 

There has also been some significant investment in cycle and public transport infrastructure in recent years which have made non-driving options more appealing in parts of New Zealand, Dylan says. 

It was notable that car travel was rated the least enjoyable mode of local transport, considerably below using trains, cycling, walking or buses.

Dylan says the way people travel hasn’t significantly changed, but there are signs of new trends growing.

“Cars are understandably still the dominant form of transport for most New Zealanders, but we are seeing notable shifts in travel habits. The higher use of other forms of transport shows how cost pressures and infrastructure investment are shaping people’s transport decisions.”

ENDS 

For more information contact: 
Dylan Thomsen
AA spokesperson
0277039935