Effect of Major Life Events on Travel Behaviours: A Scoping Review

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

I have reviewed the manuscript entitled “Effect of major life events on travel behaviours: a scoping review”. The concept of paper is interesting. However, I just have some comments:

The authors need to more clearly state and show in the introduction of the paper why and are different from previously published literature.

(1) The work submitted here still needs to explain more, and I would like to ask authors to provide a table which the effect of events i.e. secondary school, post-secondary studies, labour market, marriage, parenthood, retirement can be shown and explained in more details.

 (2) The presentation of results needs to be looked at again, particularly in terms of figures. Please try to add some figures if possible.

(3) The English level is generally good but should be edited for simplification and clarity. Shorter sentences and a focus on key points in the methods and results, in particular, would benefit the communication of the work.

 (4) The introduction section should cite more paper so that the author could make flow for the reader to understand what have done before and what are the literature gaps presently.

(5) Figures are not clear.

Author Response

Please see attached file.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Overall this was an extraordinarily well done review with rigorous methods. My comments are minor. 

Introduction

• it would be worth discussion as to why the transitional events are worth focusing on vs the correlational events. For example, correlational research has noted that adults with children have lower rates of AT. What strength is there in examining this from a longitudinal perspective?
• Additional rationale is needed for why these transitional events in particular were the area of focus. 

Methods

• The standard reporting framework for scoping reviews is PRISMA. It appears that the authors have adhered to most things, but it would be good to reference it and address anything that is missing
• Parenthood should be better defined- is it the first time someone becomes a parent? with each child? Also- for women- the pregnancy period may also alter AT participation
• Relocation- this is a hard sell for me as something to focus on. Relocation typically comes with the change in environment that drives a change in behavior, as you have noted. It is really the only transition that I have a hard time being on board with. And the results are not as clean. I think that the parameters of relocation should be narrowed to allow for the impact of moving to be assessed or it could be removed. 

The results were very well laid out. Very detailed tables. I think that table S1 was very valuable. 

The discussion was also well done. Some of the issues I mentioned for methods could be addressed in more detail. 

Author Response

Please see attached file

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

The article "Effect of major life events on travel behaviours: a scoping review" is a relevant and timely topic for journal scope.

Changes in the habits of transport users are very important in terms of environmental protection and people's quality of life.
From my point of view, changes in behavior depend on people's own decisions, but also (!!!) on the potential of the transport system. It will be difficult to expect changes if the public transport system does not follow market changes.
Public transport has to develop, it has to be competitive with individual transport. The public transport network must expand and its offer must be still improving.
Without it, changes in user behavior will be severely limited. Without the involvement of central and local authorities, success cannot be achieved.

(stick - carrot: first, the authority should make it possible to travel by public transport and only then require changes in transport behaviors - not the other way around).

It is difficult to require users to stop driving if they don't have an alternative in the form of a bus, metro, tram. Are they really supposed to walk everywhere? Even if they live 10 km from their work? Or maybe everyone has to live directly at work? Unfortunately, then we will live right next to a factory, seaport, airport, power plant, mine, shopping center.

In your research, I miss the study of the other side ... what are the relationships between the change in the behavior of residents ... and the actions of the city or region.

Good luck in your further research.

Author Response

Please see attached file

Author Response File: Author Response.docx