Northern Rivers Region

Local workers - Method of travel to work - All industries

Within the Northern Rivers Region, there is a lower proportion of local All industries workers using public transport to get to work than the NSW workforce.

This data reveals the main modes of transport used by local workers in a particular industry to get to work. Workforce transport data for the Northern Rivers Region is very useful in transport planning as it informs decision-makers about the effectiveness and availability of public transport.

There are a number of reasons why people use different Modes of Transport to get to work including:

  • The availability of affordable and effective public transport options between place of residence and place of work (For instance, industries located near railway stations are likely to have higher public transport use than those located away from main public transport routes);
  • The number of motor vehicles available from within a household; and
  • The travel distance to work, which for example, can allow people to walk or bicycle to their place of employment.

Method of Travel to Work data should be viewed in conjunction with Workers place of residence and resident place of work for a clearer picture of where people come from to work in the Northern Rivers Region, and Employment locations for the Destination Zones they work in and how they arrive there.

Data source

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2016 & 2021 – by place of work

Current area:
Current industry:
Current benchmark:
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Local workers method of travel to work
Northern Rivers Region - All industries20212016Change
Main method of travelNumber%. NSW%Number%. NSW%2016 - 2021
Car, as driver72,49861.643.268,49667.157.7+4,002
Car, as passenger4,8624.13.24,8114.74.3+51
Train560.02.81150.111.3-59
Bus4680.41.16010.64.4-133
Ferry600.10.1180.00.2+42
Tram160.00.070.00.1+9
Truck9290.80.71,0401.01.0-111
Motorbike/Motor scooter5630.50.46260.60.6-63
Bicycle1,1861.00.41,1331.10.7+53
Taxi/Other1170.10.21000.10.2+17
Other - multiple methods4330.40.51,1991.21.2-766
Walked only3,9743.42.53,8393.83.9+135
Worked at home17,36814.831.38,2698.14.9+9,099
Did not go to work14,33112.213.210,50910.38.7+3,822
Not stated8590.70.51,3741.31.0-515
Total 117,720100.0100.0102,137100.0100.0+15,583

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2016 and 2021. Compiled and presented by .id (informed decisions)

Please refer to specific data notes for more information
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Dominant groups

In 2021, there were 540 people who caught public transport to work (train, bus, tram or ferry) in the Northern Rivers Region, compared with 78,852 who drove in private vehicles (car – as driver, car – as passenger, motorbike, or truck).

Analysis of the method of travel to work in the Northern Rivers Region in 2021 compared to the NSW workforce within the Northern Rivers Region shows that 0.5% used public transport, while 67.0% used a private vehicle, compared with 3.9% and 47.5% respectively in NSW.

The major differences between the method of travel to work of the workforce in the Northern Rivers Region and the NSW workforce were:

  • A larger percentage of local workers who travelled by car, as driver (61.6% compared to 43.2%)
  • A smaller percentage of local workers who worked at home (14.8% compared to 31.3%)
  • A smaller percentage of local workers who travelled by train (0.0% compared to 2.8%)
  • A smaller percentage of local workers who did not go to work (12.2% compared to 13.2%)

Emerging groups

The largest changes in the method of travel to work of the workforce in the Northern Rivers Region between2016 and 2021 were:

  • Worked at home (+9,099 local workers)
  • Car, as driver (+4,002 local workers)
  • Did not go to work (+3,822 local workers)
  • Other - multiple methods (-766 local workers)

Northern Rivers Region

economic profile