UCI

Reducing Solo-Driving

This year's survey takes a special look at Orange County commuters who drive alone to work each day.

Overall, 70 percent of the county's employed residents say they drive alone to work. This figure is down somewhat from past years, when about eight in 10 commuters drove alone. The number who carpool is now 17 percent, up from 12 percent in 1991. Twelve percent now take vanpools, public transit or some other means of transport, up from 8 percent last year.

Solo driving is down in all age and income categories. The number who drive alone to work has dropped among men and women equally, and in all regions of the county.

We asked those who currently drive alone to work what it would take to get them to switch to a carpool, public transit or other means of commuting. The most successful options involved providing cash incentives or alternatives to driving alone. Thirty-five percent of current solo drivers say they would be "very likely" to use a carpool if one were readily available at their workplace. One in three say they would be very likely to take a bus or train if this means of transit were readily available.

A third option, a cash bonus offered by employers to workers who do not drive alone, would be sufficient incentive to make 26 percent of current solo drivers change to a carpool or public transit.

Three other options were considerably less successful. If solo drivers were charged a fee to park at work, only 18 percent of current solo drivers say they would be very likely to change to another means of commuting. Smog fees based on the amount the car pollutes and the miles it is driven each year would discourage 17 percent of those now driving alone. And congestion fees charged to drivers on busy routes during rush hours would make 16 percent of solo drivers much more likely to carpool or take public transit.

Income makes a significant difference in solo drivers' likelihood of switching to another means of transit. Of those with incomes below $36,000, 27% would stop driving alone if they had to pay to park at work, compared to 15% of those earing more. A congestion fee would make 23 percent of those earning under $36,000 stop driving alone, compared to only 14 percent of those earning $36,000 or more. Similarly, a smog fee would deter 23 percent of those in households earning under $36,000, compared to 16 percent of those earning more. A cash bonus also appeals more strongly to those in the under-$36,000 group (37%) than to those earning more (23%).

Even the options that don't entail fees or bonuses are more enticing in the lower-income group. If public transit were readily available, 43 percent of those making less than $36,000 would very likely stop their solo driving, compared to 30 percent of those earning more. And available carpools would draw 47 percent in the lower-income group, compared to 32 percent of those making more than $36,000.

Attachment to one's car appears to increase with age. In response to a parking fee, 23 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds would be very likely to stop driving alone, compared to 13 percent of workers aged 35 and older. A congestion fee would stop 18 percent of solo drivers aged 18 to 34, compared to 14 percent of older workers. A smog fee would make 22 percent of younger solo drivers very likely to change their habits, compared to 13 percent of those 35 and older. A cash bonus is nearly twice as attractive to those under 35 (36%) as to older workers (19%). The same trend is evident for carpools, going from 40 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds to 31 percent of those 35 and older. The one exception is increased availability of public transit, which appeals to about one in three in all age groups.

Public transit as an alternative to driving alone appeals more to those with longer commutes, going from 31 percent of those who travel less than 30 minutes each way to 41 percent of those who drive 30 minutes or more. Parking fees are a greater solo-driving deterrent to those with commutes of less than 10 minutes (26%), than to those driving 10 minutes or more (15%). Otherwise, length of commute makes no difference in response to the various options.

There are no major differences in response to any of the options by region of residence or location of workplace.

We also asked solo drivers how often they need to drive their car during the workday as part of their job. Six in 10 report needing their car on a frequent basis, with 41 percent saying they drive as part of their job every day and another 17 percent saying they drive at least a few times a week. Sixteen percent say their job requires driving once a week or less, while 26 percent of those who drive alone to work say they never need their car for work.

Interestingly, needing a car for work makes little difference in people's response to the various options. Only in the case of carpools are those who don't need to drive during the workday more likely to stop driving alone: 42 percent of those who need their car once a week or less say they would be very likely to carpool if one were available, compared to 30 percent of those who need their car at least a few times every week. Otherwise, those who say they need their cars are as likely as those who don't to switch to another means of commuting.