With all the bad news about plummeting ridership as the D.C. Metro transit system has struggled to deal with maintenance issues, a new report indicates that regional commuters are still driving alone less.
Stephen Hudson reports from the Washington, D.C. region: "In recent years, there has been no shortage of bad news about local riders fleeing transit. The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), however, has published a report indicating that commuters are increasingly choosing transit or telework over driving."
Drive alone rates have been dropping since 2007, according to the COG's analysis. During the same period, transit, biking and walking, and teleworking have been increasing.
According to Hudson, the mode people choose to get to work in the D.C. region has a lot to do with the particular corner of the region where they live or work. "A plurality of commuters who live in the ‘inner core’ (DC, Arlington, and Alexandria) commute by transit. Likewise, 13% of commuters in the core area commute by bike, versus only 1% and 0% of commuters in the middle and outer rings, respectively."
FULL STORY: Washington area commuters are driving less and using transit more
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