The U.S. Census Bureau released a study last week Wednesday as a result of their 2005 American Community Survey, Most of Us Still Drive to Work – Alone Public Transportation Commuters Concentrated in a Handful of Large Cities.
It claims that despite the high price at gas stations, most commuters don’t carpool and continue to drive to work. It also pointed out that 50% of the commuters who elect public transportation live in 10 major cities. Not surprising since many areas don’t offer much of a choice.
Interesting, though, that the study reports that 3.6% choose no transportation at all. Although it’s not a big number, it’s not too shabby if you look at it this way – it’s the 4th most popular option.
They have a really spiffy pie chart that illustrates how Americans get to work. The big red chunk (77%) drive themselves is way out in the lead with a reasonably sized orange slice (10%) that actually car pool with at least one other person. A smaller yellow slice represents those who take public transportation (4.7%) and a bright green sliver reports those of us who gave up on commuting (3.6%).
The remaining small slivers are:
Walk – 2.5%
Other Means – 0.9%
Bicycle – 0.4%
Motorcycle – 0.2%
and Taxi – 0.1%
If you are driving yourself to work – watch out for the bicycling commuters in Portland Oregon where more workers pedal to work than in any other city (3.5%). Portland is also one of the cities with the highest rate of telecommuters (5.3%).
The 2010 Census update has begun with trial runs. Census workers will now “update the information electronically, using hand-held computers and coordinates from the Global Positioning System (GPS).” So if you see them coming, help them collect data so they can distribute the “more than $300 million to state and local governments.” Then maybe more folks can join those of us in the not commuting slice of the pie by 2010.