Working at home continues to grow as a preferred access mode to work, according to the recently released American Community Survey data for 2016. The latest data shows that 5.0 percent of the nation’s work force worked from home, nearly equaling that of transit’s 5.1 percent. In 2000, working at home comprised only 3.3 percent of the workforce, meaning over the past 16 years there has been an impressive 53 percent increase (note). Transit has also done well over that period, having increased approximately 10 percent from 4.6 percent.
Automobiles continue to be the “work horse” of employment access, with 76.3 percent of the market driving alone and 9.0 percent car pooling or van pooling. By comparison, driving alone was the mode of access for 75.7 percent of workers in 2000 and car pooling or van pooling accounted for 12.2 percent Walking has a 2.7 percent market share, down from 3.3 percent in 2000. On a percentage basis, bicycles, although still a comparatively tiny share, have done about as well as working at home, increasing percent, from 0.4 percent to 0.6 percent between 2000 and 2016, a 43 percent increase (Figure 1).
The market share in the “other” category has stayed constant, at 1.2 percent in both 2000 and 2016. This category includes other modes, including motorcycles, taxicabs and the more recently popular ride hailing services. Despite some thought that Uber and Lyft have begun to attract riders from transit, the work trip data contains no evidence of it. The “other” category market share in 2016 was the same as in 2010 (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
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