Commuting

In recent years (2010 to 2014), a smaller percentage of commuters carpooled to work, but a larger percentage walked or used another mode, such as bicycling or public transportation. Commuters in Central New Mexico are more likely to travel to work in a private automobile and less likely to take public transportation, when compared to national averages. But public transportation has become a more prominent mode in the region with the addition of the Rail Runner Express Commuter train line and ABQ RIDE Rapid Ride bus routes. During the 5-year period from 2010 to 2014, 1.8 percent of workers used public transportation, which was up from 1.5 percent during the 5-year period from 2005 to 2009. Historical public transportation ridership data are shown in Chart 7. Total ridership in the region more than doubled between fiscal years 2004 and 2014. The average passenger trip length on board the Rail Runner is 43.9 miles, much longer than the ABQ RIDE average of 3.3 miles. In 2012, MRCOG conducted an on-board survey of passengers on Rail Runner trains and ABQ RIDE buses. While more than nine out of ten passengers listed their “home” as either the trip origin or destination, more than one-third of passengers listed their “workplace.”