What’s measured This study looks at the percent of workers 16 or older who drive to work alone by car, truck or van. This information is available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s decennial census and most recently available from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Unfortunately, the American Community Survey does not currently include Anson, Stanly, Lancaster and Chester counties; therefore, the 2005 regional numbers are for the 10-county American Community Survey portion of the region only. Why it’s measured The percent of workers 16 or older driving to work alone provides information related to commuting preferences and patterns. Despite rising fuel costs, increases in alternative modes of transportation and an ever-more environmentally aware population, the majority of people still commute to work by driving alone. Single-person commuting by car, truck or van affects traffic congestion and thereby contributes to air quality challenges and to lost productivity because of time stuck in traffic. Indicator results In the region — minus the four unavailable counties — the percentage of workers 16 or older driving to work alone in 2005 was 80.6 percent. In 2000, the indicator for the 10-county portion of the region was 81.1 percent, and in 1990 it was 78.8 percent. For the entire 14-county region, the percentages were very similar: 81.0 percent in 2000 and 78.4 percent in 1990. Individual counties in the region didn’t deviate from the 10-county regional average a great deal in 2005. Lincoln has the highest percent of workers who drive alone at 85.5, and Mecklenburg has the lowest percent of workers at 77.5. The region is slightly below the North and South Carolina percentages of workers who drive alone, but the figures are comparable. Evaluation While the percentage of workers 16 or older driving to work alone remained steady from 2000 to 2005, the region faces a difficult time ahead as the population continues to increase and road capacities reach their limits. The region is not facing this alone, according to a U.S. Census Bureau publication in June 2007. National numbers indicate that nearly 77 percent of workers drove to work alone in 2005. The region shows numbers slightly higher than the national data, but the region is actively engaged in providing alternative modes of transportation. Increased bus services, light rail, car-pool lanes, greenways, bike lanes and pedestrian-friendly rights-of-way are just some of the methods being implemented in the region. As these commuting alternatives mature, the region may see a decrease in the percentage of workers driving to work alone. Connections Increases in the percentage of workers driving to work alone can be associated with regional quality-of-life issues. Traffic congestion increases as cars, trucks, vans, etc. push the capacity of roads to their limits. The resulting increase in vehicle emissions degrades air quality. Economically, productivity suffers due to workers’ lost time stuck in traffic. Socially, traffic congestion decreases leisure time available to workers to partake in family or personal-enrichment activities. The continued examination of this indicator is not only necessary to understanding the region’s commuting preferences, but in many ways, to assessing overall quality of life.
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