GOAL 18: Create incentives encouraging the use of public transportation, car pooling, and/or biking.
INDICATOR: Percentage of workforce population (16+ years of age) using public transportation, bicycling, or walking to get to work.
Why is this important?
When more commuters use public transportation or other alternatives to get to work, traffic congestion and air pollution decrease throughout the region.
How are we doing?
According to 2004 American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census, almost 79 percent of residents in the 28-county metro Atlanta area drove to work alone in their cars, trucks, SUVs or vans (compared to 78 percent nationally). Another 11 percent of Atlanta metro area residents carpooled to work. Only 3.2 percent of our workforce commuted via public transportation, while 2.4 percent walked, bicycled or used some transportation alternative. In 2004, 4.8 percent of the 28-county workforce worked at home - higher than the 3.8 percent 2003 and 2002.
In our 2005 survey of local governments, we found that of 29 governments responding, only two offered incentives designed to influence employees' commuting choices. One local government offered flexible work schedules enabling employees to avoid rush hour, and the other subsidized its employees' public transportation costs.
Air Quality & Transportation
