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Indicator: Work Commute Choices

Data and Data Discussion provided by Communities Count

Figure 1: Percent of Adults Commuting by Various Transportation Modes

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Upstream Indicators

There are currently no published Upstream Indicators.

Downstream Indicators
  •   Carbon Footprint --- Since 2004, the state's and King County's emissions have been on the rise. In particular, transportation related GHG emissions and total energy use in King County continue to rise.  (view data graph)
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Related Goals

Sustainability Snapshot:

The principal source of greenhouse gas emissions in our region is transportation, a significant portion of which comes down to choices we make about how to travel to work. The vast majority of King County commuters continue to drive to work alone in a car (68% in 2003), rather than use more climate-friendly options such as public transit or car pooling. National studies show that a bus with as few as seven passengers is more fuel efficient than the average automobile used for commuting.

Sustainability Trend:

The proportion of commuters in King County who drive alone decreased slightly from 1990 to 2007. The proportion who carpool, use public transportation, bike, walk or use other means to commute to work increased slightly during this period.

Data Discussion

The Indicator Defined

Percent of Residents Commuting to Work Who Use Different Modes of Transportation, King County

Data Interpretation/Evaluation

The percent of workers ages 16 and over in King County who drove alone decreased from 71.4% in 1990 to 67.2% in 2007. In contrast, the number of people who used public transportation and who biked or walked to work increased during this time. Public transportation includes travel by bus, street car, trolley, subway, railroad, ferry, and taxicab; people traveling by motorcycle or means other than those mentioned are not shown in this table.

In 1990, 3.4% of King County residents worked at home. This increased to an estimated 4.9% in 2007. Internet access and increased acceptance of flexible work schedules are possible factors in these increases.

Data Source and Limitations

Data on means of travel to work for 1990 and 2000 are from the U.S. Census. Data for 2007 are from the 2007 American Community Survey (ACS). These survey data are from a sample and are, therefore, subject to error. Comparisons between ACS data and the decennial U.S.  Census should be made with caution.

 

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Additional Resources

  • Downtown Seattle Bicycle Counts by Location, City of Seattle, 2007
    The results of the 2007 Bicycle Count in downtown Seattle, conducted by SDOT, show the total number of bicyclists passing each location in 2007 as well as in 1992, 1995 and 2000. The results show a 31% increase since the 2000 counts, with a total of 2,273 bicyclists being counted in 2007.