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A moving finding — commuting isn't so bad after all
SCOTT DEVEAU
Globe and Mail Update
More Canadians say they enjoy their daily commute than find trudging to and from work a burden, according to a new study.
The somewhat surprising finding was published in Statistics Canada's Canadian Social Trend report on Tuesday.
The study found that the proportion of workers who reported that they liked their commute to and from work (38 per cent) was actually higher than the percentage who were negative about it (30 per cent).
One in six actually said they liked commuting a lot.
Perhaps not surprisingly, workers who said they liked their job were six times more likely to enjoy their daily commute than those who disliked their jobs. However, those who bike to work are the employees who enjoy their commute the most, the study found.
In 2005, 19 per cent of workers who rode their bicycles to work reported that their commute was the most pleasant activity of their day. This was true of just 2 per cent of workers who drove to work.
However, 2001 census data showed that only about 1 per cent of commuters rode a bicycle to work, whereas 81 per cent used a vehicle.
Canadians who lived in larger cities were less likely to enjoy commuting than workers who resided in smaller centres, the study found.
“This may be because workers in larger cities are more likely than others to do their commuting under more stressful conditions. In general, the larger the city, the heavier the traffic,†according to the report.
Public transit users were less likely to enjoy commuting than drivers.
In 2005, less than one-quarter (23 per cent) of people who travelled between home and work on mass transit said they liked commuting. This compares with 39 per cent of commuters using cars “Previous research has shown that the time it takes to commute has the biggest influence on the stress of commuters using a suburban train. The longer the trip, the greater the stress,†the study says.
“The level of enjoyment between drivers and public transit users can be explained mainly by the fact that public transit users take on average a longer time to get to work and back than car users.â€
But those who have to use a combination of driving and public transit are the ones who dislike their commute the most.
“The fact that the majority of these commuters have to transfer from one mode of transportation to another, and therefore, endure additional waits or the frustration of missing a connection, may account for the difference,†the study says.
A moving finding — commuting isn't so bad after all
SCOTT DEVEAU
Globe and Mail Update
More Canadians say they enjoy their daily commute than find trudging to and from work a burden, according to a new study.
The somewhat surprising finding was published in Statistics Canada's Canadian Social Trend report on Tuesday.
The study found that the proportion of workers who reported that they liked their commute to and from work (38 per cent) was actually higher than the percentage who were negative about it (30 per cent).
One in six actually said they liked commuting a lot.
Perhaps not surprisingly, workers who said they liked their job were six times more likely to enjoy their daily commute than those who disliked their jobs. However, those who bike to work are the employees who enjoy their commute the most, the study found.
In 2005, 19 per cent of workers who rode their bicycles to work reported that their commute was the most pleasant activity of their day. This was true of just 2 per cent of workers who drove to work.
However, 2001 census data showed that only about 1 per cent of commuters rode a bicycle to work, whereas 81 per cent used a vehicle.
Canadians who lived in larger cities were less likely to enjoy commuting than workers who resided in smaller centres, the study found.
“This may be because workers in larger cities are more likely than others to do their commuting under more stressful conditions. In general, the larger the city, the heavier the traffic,†according to the report.
Public transit users were less likely to enjoy commuting than drivers.
In 2005, less than one-quarter (23 per cent) of people who travelled between home and work on mass transit said they liked commuting. This compares with 39 per cent of commuters using cars “Previous research has shown that the time it takes to commute has the biggest influence on the stress of commuters using a suburban train. The longer the trip, the greater the stress,†the study says.
“The level of enjoyment between drivers and public transit users can be explained mainly by the fact that public transit users take on average a longer time to get to work and back than car users.â€
But those who have to use a combination of driving and public transit are the ones who dislike their commute the most.
“The fact that the majority of these commuters have to transfer from one mode of transportation to another, and therefore, endure additional waits or the frustration of missing a connection, may account for the difference,†the study says.
