Public Transit
Public transit refers to the services that transport members of the general public 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 reducing commute times.
How is Hampton Roads Doing?
Between 2005 and 2007, Hampton Roads Transit reported only a one percent increase in public transit ridership. This increase is well behind the national trend, which has seen a ridership increase of just over four percent during the same period. Currently only 1.21 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 | 3,553,865 | 93.80 | 2.70 | 1.23 | 2.27 |
| USA | 133,583,062 | 90.16 | 5.09 | 1.79 | 2.96 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 782,343 | 94.67 | 1.21 | 1.51 | 2.61 |
| Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC | 824,009 | 95.46 | 1.76 | 1.41 | 1.37 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 603,554 | 95.85 | 1.09 | 1.83 | 1.23 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 484,368 | 95.59 | 1.03 | 1.63 | 1.75 |
| Savannah, GA | 144,347 | 94.34 | 1.90 | 2.01 | 1.76 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV -- Leading VA MSA | 2,826,960 | 81.93 | 13.82 | 1.30 | 2.95 |
Construction is currently underway on a light rail system known as The Tide, which is set to run 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 to build a more reliable and accessible link between residential, educational and employment centers in the Norfolk area, an area that has seen transit ridership declining 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 Norfolk International Airport is the larger of the two airports and had increased the number of passengers flying from or to the airport from 3.0 million in 2000 to 3.7 million in 2007. During the same period of time, the amount of cargo transported through Norfolk International increased from 63.8 million pounds to 70 million pounds. However, the recession has resulted in a significant decrease in passengers to 3.5 million and cargo to 64.1 million pounds in 2008.
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers (in millions) | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| Pounds of cargo (in millions) | 63.8 | 63.5 | 72.4 | 71.2 | 70.3 | 70.0 | 69.0 | 70.0 | 64.1 |
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 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 Authority, ORF stats, August 24, 2009.See the Data Sources and Updates Calendar for a detailed list of the data resources used for indicator measures on Hampton Roads Performs.
