The Sector Effect: Differences between Public and Private School Travel in Australia

School travel patterns intersect with broader concerns around child health, urban mobility, and environmental sustainability. In Australia, the steady decline in walking to school—and the parallel rise in car-based school trips—raises questions about the social and structural forces shaping these trends, and the need for transport research to consider a broader diversity of influences. A distinctive feature of the Australian education landscape is its exceptionally high rate of private school enrolment, currently around 37%. Yet, the implications of this schooling arrangement for children’s travel modes remain poorly understood. This paper presents an analysis of school travel for 6517 children across Australia, with particular attention to how educational sector may be influencing the prevalence of car-based commutes.