Public Transit
Public transit refers to the services that transport groups of people along designated routes. These services are generally made up of bus and train routes, but the Hampton Roads region also has two major airports.
Why is This Important?
When properly instituted and managed, effective public transit services can provide a cost-effective and reliable alternative to driving. Public transit has the potential to reduce the number of people using personal vehicles as their primary source of transportation, thereby helping to alleviate traffic congestion and reduce commute times.
How is Hampton Roads Doing?
Between 2009 and 2010, Hampton Roads Transit saw a 1 percent increase in public transit passenger trips. This was higher than the national trend, which had a passenger trip decrease of 1 percent during the same period. Currently only 1.84 percent of workers in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area (MSA) rely on public transportation to travel from home to their place of employment.
| Total Commuters | Car, Truck or Van (%) | Public Transportation (Excluding Taxi) (%) | Taxicab, Motorcycle, Bicycle, or Other Means (%) | Walk (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 3,595,961 | 92.46 | 3.20 | 2.90 | 1.43 |
| USA | 131,962,029 | 90.20 | 5.14 | 2.90 | 1.76 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 801,644 | 93.31 | 1.84 | 3.43 | 1.43 |
| Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC | 810,849 | 95.61 | 1.95 | 1.57 | 0.87 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 583,205 | 96.01 | 0.99 | 1.38 | 1.62 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 492,580 | 96.43 | 0.91 | 1.27 | 1.39 |
| Savannah, GA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV -- Leading VA MSA | 2,965,546 | 80.42 | 14.55 | 3.43 | 1.59 |
The first leg of a light rail system known as The Tide has transported over 500,000 passengers since its completion in August 2011. The loop runs through 11 stations along a 7.4-mile stretch from the Eastern Virginia Medical Center through Norfolk along the Norfolk Southern right-of-way. Hampton Roads Transit hopes to use the project as the first link in a more reliable and accessible transit system between residential, educational and employment centers in the Norfolk area, which had seen declining public ridership over the past few years.
To facilitate long distance travel, the Hampton Roads region has two airports: Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport and Norfolk International Airport (the larger of the two). The number of passengers flying from or to the airport decreased from 3.4 million in 2009 to 3.3 million in 2010; peak year was 2005, with 3.9 million passengers. However, the amount of cargo transported through Norfolk International increased from 59.2 million pounds in 2009 to 63.9 million pounds in 2010, an increase of almost eight percent.
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers (in millions) | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.3 |
| Pounds of cargo (in millions) | 63.5 | 72.4 | 71.2 | 70.3 | 70.0 | 69.0 | 70.0 | 64.1 | 59.2 | 63.9 |
What Influences Public Transit Use?
Accessibility and reliability are among the most prevalent concerns for public transit users. Commuters are much more likely to trade in their car keys for a fare card when they do not have to go too far out of their way to pick up a ride. Similarly, it is important that public transit users feel confident that their ride will get them to their destination on time.
Data Definitions and Sources
American Public Transportation Association
Commute Mode and Time - U.S. Bureau of the Census, American Community Survey
Norfolk Airport AuthoritySee the Data Sources and Updates Calendar for a detailed list of the data resources used for indicator measures on Hampton Roads Performs.
