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10 Percent Of Philly Metro Commuters Use Transit

By Nora Tooher

The Philadelphia metro area remains one of the country's public transit commuting powerhouses. But Seattle edged it out among the largest gainers in transit commuting from 2010 to 2013.

With a 10 percent share of its commuters using public transit, Philadelphia ranks sixth among major metropolitan areas for transit commuting, according to New Geography demographer Wendell Cox, who analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

High transit use appears tied to cities with higher median home values. For example, New York, where the median value is $548,800, dominates in transit commuting, with 2.9 million transit commuters. Of all commuting there, 30.9 percent is done by transit.

San Francisco was ranked second, with 16.1 percent of commuting done by transit. Values there are a staggering $982,900.

Washington was third at 14.2 percent, followed by Boston, 12.8 percent; Chicago, 11.8 percent and Philadelphia.

From 2010 to 2013, approximately 40 percent of the entire nation's transit commuting increase occurred in the New York metropolitan area. San Francisco posted the second-largest increase, followed by Boston and Chicago.

Seattle had the fifth largest increase in transit commuting, thanks to its newer light rail and commuter rail system, as well as its three major public bus systems, a ferry system and Microsoft's private bus system, which serves its facilities throughout the metropolitan area.

Washington, D.C., was ranked sixth for transit commuting gains, and the Philadelphia metro area had the seventh-largest increase in transit commuting. Miami, San Jose, Calif., and Phoenix rounded out the 10 biggest transit gainers.
Overall, among the nation's 52 largest metros, transit posted only modest gains from 2010 to 2013, increasing to 8.1 percent from 7.9 percent of commuting market share.

Driving alone increased to 73.6 percent from 73.5 percent of all commuting modes. Car-pooling declined to 9 percent from 9.6 percent. Bicycling increased slightly to 0.7 percent from 0.6 percent. Walking remained unchanged in the major metro areas at 2.8 percent and "other" commuting was unchanged at 1.2 percent. Working at home rose to 4.6 from 4.4 percent.