Urban Mobility Trends: tracking transport choice trends

Our Urban Mobility Trends research has been tracking people’s transport choices and other mobility-related topics since 2020. This year’s report includes data on driving habits, workplace attendance and congestion concerns – and identifies some new trends in how we’re getting around.

Our findings are drawn from surveying thousands of people across Australia, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane; and North America, including the Greater Washington Area covering Virginia and Maryland (United States) and Montreal (Canada) on factors influencing mobility, including working arrangements, transport preferences and cost-of-living considerations.

Our 2023 findings tell us:

  • About 50% of us are driving every day, and most of us are travelling to work or study by private vehicle.
  • People are travelling to work 4.0 days a week (weighted average) – with increases expected in the next 12 months.
  • Rising levels of congestion are a concern for 64% of Australian respondents and 56% of North American respondents.
  • Even more people are concerned when considering potential levels of congestion in 10 years’ time – with Brisbane residents somewhat (37%) or very (46%) concerned.
  • When people choose to take toll roads, they make this choice to save time, for the most direct route and to avoid traffic.
  • More people are driving every day compared to our July 2022 survey.
  • While vehicle fuel costs remain a top-three concern, people are less concerned than they were last year. In Australia for example, the number of respondents who nominated fuel prices as a top-five concern has declined more than 20%.

Our 2023 Urban Mobility Trends report includes data on: transport mode choice; expectations for future workplace attendance; and attitudes towards funding transport infrastructure.

Read the full report, and check out findings from earlier reports.

/Public Release. View in full here.