July 20, 2007
How Do You Get to Work?
Steve Eldridge over at the Examiner notes that fewer Washingtonians are driving themselves solo to work than they were three years ago.
According to the unfortunately titled “Preliminary Draft Commuter Connections State of the Commute Survey 2007 Survey Technical Report,” the number of those in the region driving by themselves to job locations outside the home was 71 percent, compared with 74.1 percent in the 2004 survey.
This survey is put together by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Commuter Connections office and shows that this region is going against the national trend, which shows that the number of those driving alone has gone up to 77 percent.
Encouraging stuff, especially the numbers he points out that have been compiled by CommuterPage.com, which show increases across the board in people taking Metro, riding bicycles, walking and carpooling in the the metro area.
We were curious to find out how the DCist readership stacks up to the findings of this recent study, which shows Metro and bus ridership totalling 18.7 percent, those riding their bikes or walking at 2.7 percent, carpooling at 7.6 percent, and solo drivers at 71 percent. We have a pretty good suspicion (or at least a hope) that the wonderful people who read this site drive less and take public transit even more than the rest of the metro area. And since it won't be reflected in the poll below, if you've made a change to the way you commute to work in the last three years, let us know in the comments.
Photo by andertho
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Have changed from always Metro to a mix of Metro and driving. Not only does Metro take longer, but the unexplained delays at least 2-3x per week ("this train will be moving momentarily," followed by 10 minutes sitting in a tunnel), the near-Japanese overcrowding of subway cars, and now the new-design cars that lack handholds for any person shorter than 5'7" are just too much to suffer through on a regular basis.
I typically swim across the Potomac, but lately I have this awful chlorine odor afterwards so I will probably just start taking the yellow line...
It is a sad state of affairs when a drop from 74% to 71% still counts as an improvement. Seriously, stop driving alone. The world at large will thank you.
time is money. time is also sleep, otherwise i'd consider taking the bus from annapolis.
I drive, then metro, then walk.
After I roll out of the tree and fire up a bowl, I herd the clan into the Mystery Machine, barrel down the parkway, dump the crotchfruit off at the kennel, the fishwife at her sealed bunker, and then I trek into Southeast.
Then, and only then, do I put my pants on. Preferrably my favorite pair of pre-soiled lederhosen.
I agree with #3. People driving to work alone is why traffic sucks, why the air quality is bad, why our roads are in need of repair all the time and one reason why our environment is getting destroyed.
I thought DCist readers were a more progressive bunch - one that actually cared about reducing their carbon imprint.
C'mon people. Live where you work. Or carpool. Just stop driving alone.
I drive alone because I am the Night Bandit.
I'm surprised at what a small percentage of drivers in the poll carpool. What's so hard about carpooling? Aren't there websites and message boards where people who live and work near each other can share rides?
I drive alone to work -- 3 miles one way all in VA. I think this is living where you work. I'm not clogging up 66, 495, 395 or any or those majors as I don't have to get on any of them.
The fastest wmata.com itinerary from my home to work involves 3 different buses, the Orange Line, and considerable walks on both ends. Takes well over an hour assuming all the buses show on time, etc. I can drive it in 35 minutes. Easy decision.
I'd love to live near work so I can be as sanctimonious and smug as some of you other posters but it just isn't feasible for some people.
guest #10: if you're that close to work, and you're not having to drive on major roads, then why don't you bike?
2 wheels and no more. Good mileage and easy to park. You ought to try it sometime.
I used to metro, but now I walk, and to be honest it's the highlight of my day. To not have to deal with overcrowded buses or trains and to not have my notorious road rage be inflamed by idiotic drivers who don't merge properly or leave their signals on for 10 miles is my idea of urban nirvana. Plus, you should see my calf muscles.
does having a body in the trunk still mean i'm driving alone?
Having used Metro as my only means of transit since I moved here 4 years ago, I bought a car for trips to the 'burbs and to points North...usually during off-peak hours. I've had enough with late-night and weekend Metrobus schedules and the Greyhound bus to New York.
Still take Metrorail/Metrobus to destinations within the city and to work every weekday though, even though the hour commute would be cut to 20 minutes if I drove.
I walk to my couch.
It depends on my day as to whether I drive or walk/Metro. I think the poll should've allowed the user to select more than one option. It would've been more accurate.
I always find it interesting when people feel the need to justify driving solo to work. It's okay -- we all have a variety of things we value which go into our residential location decisions, and "easy Metro commute" doesn't always top the list. For example, although I would really like to be able to walk to work and could do so if I were willing to live in Arlington, the District offers much more of what I want from my neighborhood. So I Metro.
(Also, is there a way to log into your account if you forgot your password? Am I missing something?)
Not all of us want to live near where we work. I live in Adams Morgan and commute to Chantilly everyday, 2 hours roundtrip. The oneway metrobus – metro – metrobus – metrobus commute is 4 hours roundtrip.
I have no desire to live in the suburbs and Virginia doesn’t mind the burden of my daily entry into their state. I would love to see the metro extend up I-66 to US-50 and some kind of frequent bus service along 50 and would be happy to pay $10/day for it.
I drive solo to work in a car fueled by veal cutlets, ground up puppies, and the tears of baby Jesus.
the new-design cars that lack handholds for any person shorter than 5'7"
Dude, you should take yoga. 5'4", maybe. But 5'7"? Now I know why nobody moves toward the middle of the cars.
Regardless, I just moved downtown from Arlington and I now walk 1.1 miles each way to my job. I used to walk home to Arlington sometimes, 4.5 miles. On days when I had 90 minutes to spare instead of 35 minutes walking to the Metro, riding Metro, and walking from Metro to my house, it felt really good.
My husband's and my (shared) car is in the shop, so earlier this week I took a combo of Metrorail and Metrobus to get to my dentist's office in suburban Alexandria. It still took less than an hour door-to-door. Even if there isn't a Metrorail stop near your home or work, Metrobus goes TONS of places. Check out a map and quit polluting. I simply can't believe that over 50% of DCist readership and 70% of DC-area residents are driving to work by themselves.
"Live where you work" is fine until you get a job at Blue Plains.
IMGoph - Maybe there's no showers at #10's job. A three-mile bike ride in mid August can make for a stinky morning commute.
I ride my bike or take the bus, depending on how I feel in the morning. I live in Dupont and work at Metro Center, and biking by far is the fastest method. I started biking last summer, and continued late into the fall. I took a break during Jan/Feb, but started up soon afterward.
I love how infrequently I put money on my metro card now, and I can't stand the S2 line. Go biking!
Also, you have a choice as to where you live and where you work. Then you get to weigh that choice and your level of personal convenience against the harm you're doing to the environment. Maybe you have to wait a year before you can break a lease or seek a new job, and that's okay. I, personally, could not come out of that decision telling myself that it's okay to live really far from where I work and drive solo. If that's your decision, then fine, but I and other environmentally responsible folks are going to lord it over you, so get used to it.
I used to metro everyday and got sick of it. I now walk to work, about 3.5 miles each way. It takes about an hour. My metro commute took 45 minutes, so it's not the much of a difference. Plus It's a nice workout several times a week. Weather and time permitting, I'd do it every day.
I used to drive, but now I ride a bike powered by my self-righteous indignation!
I understand that some people have to drive. Such is the sprawling nature of the DC business district (which includes huge chunks of VA and MD). The issue is driving SOLO. It is totally irresponsible to just shrug and head into your car everyday ALONE. I guess some people must just like spending money on gas...
More information can be found here:
- Telework "Rising Dramatically" in D.C. Area http://commuter.typepad.com/commuterpageblog/2007/07/telework-rising.html
- D.C. Region's Drive Alone Rate Goes Down! http://commuter.typepad.com/commuterpageblog/2007/07/regions-drive-a.html
- Could Region's Drive Alone Rate Be Going Down http://commuter.typepad.com/commuterpageblog/2007/07/regions-drive-a.html
- And the Survey Says: DC and Arlington Have Lowest Drive Alone Rates http://commuter.typepad.com/commuterpageblog/2007/06/for_those_who_m.html
Enjoy
Chris
chamilton@arlingtonva.us
Interesting at 5Pm the stats are 49% of people use public transport, walk, or bike to work. And that another 49% drive alone. 2% carpool, and 2% other, which I'll take to mean telecommute/fly/teleport...
Rounding errors aside, to me what's so cool is that almost half of respondents claim not to drive *at all*.
I love the people that advocate carpools. Did you ever think for a second that before and after spending up to 10 hours a day with my coworkers they are the last people I want to share my car with? Sure they are nice people and all, but I have no desire to share my 30 minute drive with them. If that makes me a worse person than you, then so be it.
One more thing, I would love to "live near where I work" but I have kids that I care enough about not to subject them to the DC school or park system. My kids actually get to go to a public school with teachers who know how to teach, in a building that isn't falling apart, and they can play soccer or just run around, a beautiful public park that doesn't double as a home for some mentally ill person.
Long before the Earth melts, my kids will reap the benefits of good schools and a higher quality of life than can be had in the city.
But I guess that makes me a bad parent.
doesn't anyone in the dcist universe ride a vespa/scooter!? it's so much fun. plus if we get enough people, we could get satin jackets like the pink ladies......
i don't think anyone should drive to work alone except for me :)
Live in DC, work in DC... I used to take metro, but now I bike. It's faster, it's free, it's more fun, and it never involves annoying delays or crowded spaces.
I live in DC and work in Crystal City, either bike or metro depending on what I have going on after work. I prefer biking, it's a 6 mile ride and takes 10 minutes less than the metro and I feel great when I get to work! I am also lucky to have a shower at work...
Biking ROCKS. It takes me thirty minutes longer to bike into town than to drive through traffic and find a space or to park and transfer metros. So I can get up thirty minutes earlier and get a two hour workout.
And it doesn't take long in the shower to become a normal human being again. Really, thirty seconds of soap, a quick towel-dry and some fresh deodorant get me over. Just be sure and have short hair.
And speaking of exercise, Guest #1, handholds are for squares. The cool people use metro commuting time as "surf practice." Bonus points for reading.
I take two kids and my wife in my car. I drive. I cannot take infants to daycare on a bike (children should never, under any circumstances ride on adult bikes in those seats, they're very very unsafe if you didn't know). If I took the metro it would cost my family, the last time I checked, $12 each way or $24 per day.
So I drive to work. I have 4 people in my car, so I think that counts as a carpool.
As far as people mocking DC public schools. Where do you really live? I have friends who moved to Silver Spring in MoCo and found out that their kindergarten included 18 kids with English as a Second Language and 5 kids with English as their first. They went with Catholic school... in Montgomery County. I have friends in Fairfax who claimed 50% or more foreign language speakers in their elementary school, meaning their kids ended up with first graders for reading class. Both expressed frustration that the quality of education was nothing like advertised. Remember if suburban immigration went nutso starting in 2001 then by now those kids are taking up reading class time in kindergarten even if you don't see them in high school.
As far as the public parks being a home to the mentally ill. I have never seen that even once and should remind the writer that most DC parks are patrolled by cops. I do remember in Silver Spring that the always-empty park down the street was home to members of MS 13. I think that poster wants to imagine something that doesn't exist.
Ride your bike. Me? Drive of six miles used to take an hour, and I'd get to work angry and sleepy. Moved four miles closer. Now my ride is only about fifteen minutes. And I get to work happy and awake. And the difference in the cost of the living spaces is more than made up for by my reduced transportation costs.
I don't know about those people who are commuting from outside the beltway, but, especially in your in the district, it's totally doable.
And almost always faster than public transportation, especially if you have to transfer.
#37 says "As far as the public parks being a home to the mentally ill. I have never seen that even once and should remind the writer that most DC parks are patrolled by cops. I do remember in Silver Spring that the always-empty park down the street was home to members of MS 13. I think that poster wants to imagine something that doesn't exist."
I could point to at least 4 parks within walking distance of my downtown home that are (or were) OWNED by mentally-ill homeless. Sure, the cops might run them out now and again, but that just pushes them to the next park in the next neighborhood a few blocks away.
Why does everything under the sun have to boil down to economic impact? When push comes to shove, people are going to do what makes sense to them. If driving gives them a higher quality of life and they can afford the time and cost, then car it is. Asking someone to alter their transportation methods for environmental reasons is like asking someone to breathe less oxygen so there's ore for the rest of us. How am I supposed to quantify those issues well enough to atually impact my commuting decisions?
Sorry, I meant environmental impact, not economic.
@ eli: you know, i used to 'surf practice' the subway in NYC. it's not so easy here. sometimes the ride's smooth, sometimes it's worse whiplash than getting into an accident. at least in NYC it was consistent.
as for my commute, i used to have to drive to work - lived in alexandria / worked just south of H street in NE. nothing like driving 8 miles in an hour!
with my new job at 17th & M, and my new house in arlington, i now have a healthy combination of walking, the ARTbus, and Metro.
my next goal? to live either within walking distance of a metro station, or even better, of my office. let's just hope the powers that be eventually help in the compensation aspect to help me achieve a more 'green' lifestyle.
where are all of these people parking?
Before Baby Rat was going to daycare I used to take the Metro or ride a bike to work; but now with a baby in tow every morning (and an employer who pays for parking) I drive.
Right now, it's a mix of things. I start at the Manassas VRE (either driving myself or being dropped off by a family member), then catch Metro at King Street and take the #16 out of Pentagon City to my office on the Pike. It's a grind, but it sure beats sitting on 66 or 29.
As for the future, we're moving house to Dale City this weekend, and one thing I lucked out on is that the new house is about 200 feet from an OmniRide commuter bus stop. While I love VRE, at the new place I would have to drive 9 miles (or fight with the mess that is OmniLink...why PWC didn't just join Metro I will never know) to get to a station. The upside of this is that, on most days, I no longer need a car to get to work; I can take OmniRide to the Pentagon then transfer to the #16 there. And on Code Orange or Code Red days, this would also mean my entire commute both ways is free. (If there are any gotchas about OmniRide along 95 that anyone's noted, please let me know; I've ridden Metro Direct out of Manassas many times, but the full-on OmniRide buses not so much, and only down 66).
I drive alone because I work in Gaithersburg. I could metro to Shady Grove, and then bus in, but this would make a 20 min. drive take over an hour, due to the crap system that is RideOn bus.
~EEE~