Coping With the Commute

There are an estimated 6.6 million commuters in Southern California, and 79% of them drive to work alone. Orange County has the highest percentage of solo commuters. Some findings from a recent survey:

* Profile of a Southern California car-pool * Average size: 2.6 members * Who’s in the car: 43% travel with household members, 40% with co-workers * How long: Most have been in current pool for more than 2 1/2 years * Average distance to work: 16 miles * How’s the traffic? 49% of commuters think freeway traffic is worse this year; Orange County residents are the least likely (45%) to believe they are affected by the worsening conditions. * Congestion: Roughly one-third of commuters working in Orange County say they are bothered by trafficcongestion. *Who commutes on the freeway? Orange County: 53% Los Angeles County: 56% Riverside County: 62% San Bernardino County: 61% Ventura County: 62% *Is Southern California freeway traffic getting worse? Since 1991, there has been a steady decline in the percentage of commuters who rate traffic as worse than it was a year earlier. *1991 Better: 11% Same: 25% Worse: 64% *1992 Better: 12% Same: 33% Worse: 55% *1993 Better: 19% Same: 32% Worse: 49% *Commuters aware their freeway has a car-pool lane Orange County: 70% Los Angeles County: 33% Riverside County: 30% San Bernardino County: 22% Ventura County: 8% *Use by commuters aware of car-pool lanes Orange County: 30% Los Angeles County: 30% Riverside County: 27% San Bernardino County: 26% Ventura County: 35% *Commuters using car-pool lanes who believe the lanes save time Orange County: 88% Los Angeles County: 94% Riverside County: 91% San Bernardino County: 77% Ventura County: 66% *How much time is saved during commute by using car-pool lanes? Orange County: 11 minutes Los Angeles County: 11 minutes Riverside County: 16 minutes San Bernardino County: 17 minutes Ventura County: 16 minutes *Commuting means driving alone Drive alone: 86% Car-poolL: 11% Bus: 1% Walk, van-pool or bicycle: 6% *Figures add up to more than 100% because of multiple responses *How counties compare

Orange Los Angeles Riverside San Bernardino Drive alone 86% 76% 85% 80% Average 28 miles 26.6 miles 45.6 miles 40 miles round-trip commute Average 63 minutes 69 minutes 80 minutes 75 minutes commuting time Work outside county 10% 24% 31% 37%

Ventura Drive alone 82% Average 30.8 miles round-trip commute Average 56 minutes commuting time Work outside county 26%

Source: “1993 State of the Commute,” Commuter Transportation Services