Now Available: TRB's Commuting in America III - The Story of America's Commuting Trends

Following up on a story we covered last week about what new U.S. Census data was telling us about American's commutes (Studies Say Arlington is a Commuter Friendly Community, Oct. 12, 2006), two stories in yesterday's USA Today by Larry Copeland (Study See Longer Rides To Work, More Commuting By Older Women and Baby Boomers, Immigrants Change Commuting Patterns, Oct. 16, 2006) focused our attention on a just released report from the Transportation Research Board, an arm of the National Research Council. The research was prepared by long-time transportation guru Alan E. Pisarski and published in a report entitled Commuting in America III. According to the description, Commuting In America III "is based on the latest Census information available, it contains 155 figures, 79 tables, and some 100 "factlets" that tell the story of America's commuting trends and patterns over the last 10 years." There's a whole lot to digest here (the huge report is available online in a PDF, there's a Press Release, a 12-page Commuting Facts booklet, and a 1-page "Meaning of Commuting in America III." They also conveniently provide a 10 Ten List which we share with you here to wet your appetite:

1. Proportion of workers in single-occupant vehicles is still increasing but has slowed.
2. National changes in carpooling and transit are products of new regional shifts.
3. Very significant surges in African-American auto ownership.
4. Big roles of immigrants in some modes are transitional giving way to mainstreaming over time.
5. Signs of increases in older workers commuting with mode changes.
6. Sharp increases in proportion of workers traveling more than 60 and even more than 90 minutes to work.
7. Rise of the "donut" metro; big works flows in to and out to the suburbs.
8. Continued, pervasive, and substantial increases in working at home.
9. Significant increases in percentage of workers leaving for work before 6:00 am.
10. Dramatic increases in those workers leaving their home country to work.

The study finds that although work travel has declined as a share of overall travel, it has done so not because of a lack of growth but because trips with other travel purposes have grown even more. As we learn more from the study, we'll try to share it with you. If you find something good, please share it with us.

Update on October 17: Washington Post story on the report "Va., Md. Top List for Percentage of Out -of-County Commutes, Oct. 17, 2006."