Commuter Statistics up to 1976

[John WR]

Amtrak:  The US National Railroad Passenger Corporation by Roger Bradley (published in 1985) contains some interesting and for me surprising commuter statistics.

In 1938 there were about 6.5 billion commuter passenger miles.  By 1960 that figure declined to 5 billion and it stayed at 5 billion until 1976, the last year data is presented for.  This is from a chart "Passenger Miles by Class" on page 44.  

This contrasts with intercity passenger miles which went from a high of about 90 billion in 1940 to a low of 5 billion in 1971.  

In view of the fact that the Interstate and Defense HIghway System was largely built in the 1950's the data shows that commuter traffic continued to be remarkably robust and, despite some decline, was able to hold its own against the rise in automobile travel.  Certainly it remained a lot more robust than inter city traffic.  Distinguishing between commuter and intercity traffic has to be considered important when studying rail passenger transportation.  

[timz]

It doesn't define "commuter", does it? But it is talking about rail only, not including subways? Does it say where they got the figures?

[John WR]

timz

But it is talking about rail only, not including subways?

There is no source cited for the chart.  The presentation of the data suggest to me that subways, street cars and similar forms of transit are not included.  

I also found this on page 28:  "Commuter and suburban traffic remained relatively unchanged throughout this period, despite considerable growth and use of the private automobile, and some 4 to 5 billion passenger miles were being worked annually.  In fact, over the 40 years from 1930 to 1970, this short distance traffic only dropped from about 6 1/2 billion to 5 billion passenger miles  worked each year.  Obviously, the suburban and short distance services would remain largely unaffected by the mushrooming of the internal airlines business, although it is perhaps a little surprising that the bus operators and private automobiles did not tempt more riders away from the trains."

That too suggests to me that the data is presented about commuter rail service rather than subways and similar things.  

[oltmannd]

John WR

timz

But it is talking about rail only, not including subways?

There is no source cited for the chart.  The presentation of the data suggest to me that subways, street cars and similar forms of transit are not included.  

I also found this on page 28:  "Commuter and suburban traffic remained relatively unchanged throughout this period, despite considerable growth and use of the private automobile, and some 4 to 5 billion passenger miles were being worked annually.  In fact, over the 40 years from 1930 to 1970, this short distance traffic only dropped from about 6 1/2 billion to 5 billion passenger miles  worked each year.  Obviously, the suburban and short distance services would remain largely unaffected by the mushrooming of the internal airlines business, although it is perhaps a little surprising that the bus operators and private automobiles did not tempt more riders away from the trains."

That too suggests to me that the data is presented about commuter rail service rather than subways and similar things.  

I am not surprised.  The sprawl that highway building created helped feed the commuter rail trains  - for people whose jobs were still in the city.  In fact, in some areas (LI, NJ) where the cost of building enough highways to handle the population growth was prohibitive, there was investment in commuter rail.

While a great many people do suburb to suburb commuting - a large majority in places like Atlanta, there is enough suburb to city commuting to support "batch mode" transportation.

[John WR]

oltmannd

I am not surprised.  The sprawl that highway building created helped feed the commuter rail trains  - for people whose jobs were still in the city.  In fact, in some areas (LI, NJ) where the cost of building enough highways to handle the population growth was prohibitive, there was investment in commuter rail.

That also occurred to me, Don.  Certainly New Jersey Transit has built several stations on major highways where they could offer parking for large numbers of cars and these stations have proven quite successful.  Also, government agencies, colleges and universities, hospitals and cultural institutions have never deserted our inner cities.  And as the population increases these institutions also increase in size so inner cities have been able to maintain themselves as centers of employment even as many (but not all) private sector employers have moved to the suburbs.  

I think our cities have seen their nadir.  Today they seem to be finding some new stability with slow growth.  At least that is happening in the cities I see.  

John