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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Almost half of all Australians have been forced to change the way they commute and travel each day due to the ongoing fuel crisis, according to a new study.<\/p>\n A national report from Monash University found that 45 per cent of Australians had changed their travel behaviour since the onset of the international crisis in March, when petrol prices spiked dramatically following the start of the war in the Middle East and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in late February.<\/p>\n Lead author Dr Lauren Pearson, a research fellow at the university\u2019s school of public health and preventative medicine, said she was stunned by the quick and large-scale shift in people\u2019s daily travel behaviour.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a substantial rapid population level shift and \u2026 we don\u2019t really see them outside of things like the COVID-19 pandemic and these major oil crises,\u201d Pearson said.<\/p>\n The report shows a clear difference between behavioural changes in metropolitan and regional areas.<\/p>\n For inner-city residents, the fuel crisis has allowed for a further reduction in car dependency and switching to walking or cycling more often, as well as increasing public transport use and opting to travel less. In Victoria, the spike in public transport use was particularly evident after services became free<\/a> across the network from March 31, and led to 12 per cent of respondents who had not used public transport before the crisis starting to.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Pearson said that the shift towards more active and sustainable options was a good outcome. \u201cThat is something that years of policy and campaigning has been trying to make happen, and we\u2019ve seen that happen \u2026 within less than a month,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Bob Barrett from Melbourne\u2019s inner-west was already a regular e-bike rider before the spike in petrol prices, but said that the increased cost had pushed him to cycle even more frequently.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I\u2019m feeling lazy, or if it\u2019s raining, or a longer trip \u2026 now I will put on a rain jacket, or suck it up and pedal a bit further,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Barrett regularly completes his nine-kilometre commute to work by e-bike, which takes about half an hour. He and his girlfriend share a car, which Barrett said she tends to use more often due to a lack of safe cycling infrastructure in their community.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere we live, it\u2019s not safe to ride at night, and she works very early mornings and late nights,\u201d he said, adding that better cycling facilities should be a priority.<\/p>\n Pearson said the need for safe infrastructure in urban areas \u2013 including well-lit paths and bike lanes \u2013 was a key finding from Monash\u2019s report.<\/p>\n For regional communities, where car ownership rates continue to increase<\/a>, and vehicle dependency remains high, improving access to public transport was more of a priority.<\/p>\n Related Article The study also found that people facing financial hardship and younger Australians were disproportionately forced to change the way they travel.<\/p>\n Of those with financial concerns, 85 per cent said that they had shifted their travel behaviour, compared with 56 per cent of those who said they were financially stable.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fuel crisis has opened a genuine window for healthier, more sustainable travel, but it has also exposed how unevenly that opportunity is distributed,\u201d Pearson said.<\/p>\n With the federal government\u2019s fuel excise due to be removed at the end of June<\/a>, experts are predicting that petrol prices could soar<\/a> again if the war in Iran continues.<\/p>\n Although the research supports large-scale improvements to infrastructure, Pearson said small-scale changes would have a more immediate impact on Australian communities. This included reducing the cost of public transport, increasing public transport frequency and providing adequate bike storage facilities.<\/p>\n These adjustments would support those who have temporarily shifted their behaviour due to the crisis, but are unsure about whether they will continue with their new transport choices, Pearson said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis group of people \u2026 need to be supported with things like policies to enable them to be able to use these transport modes going forward,\u201d she said. \u201cNow it\u2019s about giving them access to the resources.\u201d<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Bob](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/a39d5d03e2c75ad11cd0b24b5e33f700230256fd.jpeg\")
Bob Barrett has been riding his e-bike more regularly since the spike in fuel prices.Simon Schluter<\/p>\n![\"Public](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/4ecf7eda9094400f2d5091cb7818931c081270fa.jpeg\")
Public transport use in Victoria has increased since fares were made free in March.Luis Enrique Ascui<\/p>\n![\"Treasurer](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/1779886931_533_24dde384301bd3fe256249b7cb323f78ed1399c6.jpeg\")
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