In the Globe and Mail today:
The average Canadian spends more than an hour a day — or 12 full days a year — trekking to and from work, according to a new study that shows commuting by car is still faster than using public transit.
Given that the average worker is entitled to between three and four weeks of vacation each year, the data suggests that some Canadians spend almost as much time getting to and from work as they do on holiday.
According to a Statistics Canada report released Wednesday [PDF 448k] said that Canadians wasted an average 63 minutes a day getting from home to work and back in 2005. The round-trip commute has climbed from 54 minutes in 1992 and 59 minutes in 1998.
I find it odd that the Globe and Mail would consider commuting to work a “waste” of time. Anyway, there were other numbers revealed in the report:
• drivers averaged 59 minutes on the road
• transit riders averaged 106 minutes travelling
• carpoolers averaged 71 mintues on the road
• 86% of workers drive to work
• 12% of workers use transit all or part of their commute
• 11% walked or biked
(which adds up to 109% — probably due to the combination of any of the four modes)
• 20% use transit in Canada’s six largest cities
• Toronto 2005 commute: 79 minutes (increased by 11 minutes since 1992)
• Montreal 2005 commute: 76 minutes
• Calgary 2005 commute: 66 minutes
• both Montreal and Calgary saw average commuting times increase by 14 mintues since 1992
• Commuting in Vancouver has not increased since 1992
6 comments
The report does not take into account the general shift of the population into outlying areas due to urban sprawl. More people are living further away from their jobs and hence, logically, increasing the average calculated commute time. The obvious solution to this problem is to raise speed limits.
While there is some degree of increased traffic on the road, the results of this study are made to sound panic-inducing (I spend 2 weeks per year in my car!) for the sake of getting the attention of the media.
On the subject of non-productivity while commuting:
I am lucky enough to do a counter-peak commute out from downtown to Scarborough Town Centre in the morning, and back in the evening. I very rarely have to stand, except on the RT in the evening.
During my commute, I read and edit various documents from work and so my commute is definitely productive time.
Of course, some days I just do the crossword.
Maybe we could use this argument: Giving everyone lots of room on public transit would allow them to do “take home” work while commuting and increase the productivity of our workforce. We should massively invest in transit service to make Toronto more competitive.
Hmmm … somehow I don’t think this argument will fly.
sidebar – but transit related…
just needed somewhere to pose this question: has anyone noticed ttc drivers’ prediliction for closing bus windows and running air conditioners?
a driver yesterday requested we all close our windows to keep out the heat. subsequently, i had a conversation with a driver yesterday in which i claimed i was okay with the breeze generated by the open windows while the bus was in motion.
after stares by other riders and his argument about keeping it comfortable and “keeping the smog out”, i relented, thinking it somewhat ironic that in our attempts to alleviate the emissions/smog problem with transit, we were doing our bus-level part to pump a few more fumes into the air and burn a few more cfc’s in another instance of favouring a (selfishly constructed but shared) self-contained, mobilized environment.
i acknowledge that there’s a variety of competing interests and ideas as to what public transit ought to be. this seems minor, yes, but all the parts per million quickly accumulate.
just wondering if this is a trend anyone’s noticed?
Neil> I haven’t noticed drivers doing that (if i did i’d be happy) but I’ve totally noticed people who open windows when the air conditioning is on. Not sure how much more smog a bus running a/c makes, but i’d hedge it isn’t much. Put a sweater on, let the rest of us have a few moments of precious air conditioning.
i empathize with the precious moments. respite. i’m willing to participate in consensus with my fellow citizens. you’re right: the bus running a/c doesn’t contribute much. kudos.
Neil, i’d be very happy to sit behind you on a streetcar on a hot day — some people keep the windows closed there, and no a/c.
Or on a cool spring day on the bus, too.
—
Similarly, when I used to work at Bayview and Eglinton, the old busses leaving eglinton station would pump out the heat on cold winter days — but everybody is wearing winter coats so it didn’t need to be so warm. it was 85 degrees in there, and i was wearing a parka. worse than any hot summer bus day — the sweat would drip, then freeze when i got off the bus. i wonder how many little uncomfortable moments like this contribute to people giving up on the TTC. i gave up on bayview and eglinton.