RDA Darling Downs and South West Region
Resident workers - Method of travel to work
The resident workers in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region have a lower proportion of people using public transport to get to work than Queensland.
Maximising access to employment is a key objective in any economic development strategy. Understanding the modes of transport the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region's local resident workers use (either within or outside the local area), informs decision-makers about the effectiveness of transport modes, routes and availability of local 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;
- The number of motor vehicles available 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 Residents place of work and for a clearer picture of where working residents are employed.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) – Census 2011 and 2016 – by place of work
| Resident workers method of travel to work | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RDA Darling Downs and South West Region | 2016 | 2011 | Change | |||||
| Main method of travel | Number | % | Queensland % | Number | % | Queensland % | 2011 to 2016 | |
| Car, as driver | 77,225 | 66.3 | 64.1 | 72,916 | 63.0 | 61.2 | +4,309 | 2001 |
| Car, as passenger | 6,796 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 8,053 | 7.0 | 6.1 | -1,257 | 2002 |
| Train | 95 | 0.1 | 3.2 | 81 | 0.1 | 3.5 | +14 | 2003 |
| Bus | 630 | 0.5 | 3.6 | 688 | 0.6 | 3.9 | -58 | 2007 |
| Ferry | 16 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 13 | 0.0 | 0.1 | +3 | 2011 |
| Tram | 4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | +1 | 2012 |
| Truck | 1,588 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 1,989 | 1.7 | 1.3 | -401 | 2013 |
| Motorbike/Motor scooter | 849 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 900 | 0.8 | 0.9 | -51 | 2014 |
| Bicycle | 849 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 931 | 0.8 | 1.1 | -82 | 2015 |
| Taxi/Other | 223 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 275 | 0.2 | 0.2 | -52 | 2016 |
| Other - multiple methods | 1,795 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1,726 | 1.5 | 1.4 | +69 | 2017 |
| Walked only | 5,253 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 6,103 | 5.3 | 3.7 | -850 | 2018 |
| Worked at home | 8,987 | 7.7 | 5.3 | 8,834 | 7.6 | 4.9 | +153 | 2019 |
| Did not go to work | 10,931 | 9.4 | 9.7 | 11,372 | 9.8 | 10.2 | -441 | 2020 |
| Not stated | 1,264 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1,810 | 1.6 | 1.4 | -546 | 2021 |
| Total persons | 116,505 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 115,694 | 100.0 | 100.0 | +811 | |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing (opens a new window) 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id (opens a new window), the population experts.
Dominant groups
In 2016, there were 741 resident workers who caught public transport to work (train, bus, tram or ferry) in RDA Darling Downs and South West Region, compared with 85,613 who drove in private vehicles (car – as driver, car – as passenger, motorbike, or truck).
Analysis of the method of travel to work of the resident workers in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region shows that 0.6% used public transport, while 73.5% used a private vehicle, compared with 6.9% and 70.4% respectively in Queensland.
The major differences between the method of travel to work of the resident workers of the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region and Queensland were:
- A larger percentage of resident workers travelled to work by Worked at home (7.7% compared to 5.3%)
- A larger percentage of resident workers travelled to work by Car, as driver (66.3% compared to 64.1%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers travelled to work by Train (0.1% compared to 3.2%)
- A smaller percentage of resident workers travelled to work by Bus (0.5% compared to 3.6%)
Emerging groups
The largest changes in the method of travel of work of the resident workers in the RDA Darling Downs and South West Region between 2011 and 2016 were:
- Car, as driver (+4,309 people)
- Car, as passenger (-1,257 people)
- Walked only (-850 people)
- Did not go to work (-441 people)