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Transportation: Public Transit Indicator Public transit systems are an important source of transportation for DuPage County commuters.
ABOUT THE INDICATOR Use of public transportation is an important indicator of commuter activity. In DuPage County, public transit systems include Metra commuter rail service and PACE bus service. Three Metra railway lines serve DuPage County: the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) line in the southern portion of the county, the central Union Pacific (UP-W) line, and the northern Milwaukee District West (MD–W) line. Information on train ridership for DuPage County alone is difficult to collect, but Metra reports that, in 2002, these three lines averaged approximately 31,000 passengers daily from DuPage County stations. In addition, Chart 1 presents the number of people who rode each of the three major Metra train lines that serve the county on one day in the fall of 1991, 1999, and 2002. Although not all of these riders boarded trains in DuPage County, the indicator does provide information about trends in train ridership. A second indicator presents the reasons why people in DuPage County ride PACE buses. PACE offers 71 fixed routes in the county. Many of these routes operate only during peak morning and evening travel periods and provide access from residential areas or park-and-ride facilities to Metra stations. Some routes provide connections between Metra stations and places of work for reverse commuters. Approximately 2.6 million passengers use PACE service annually in DuPage County. Recognizing that the indicators presented are limited in terms of how much they tell us about use of public transit in DuPage County, we will continue to search for indicators that capture the percentage of trips taken on public transit and how transit use has changed over time. OBSERVATIONS Metra trains were designed to transport commuters to and from Chicago. Ridership on all three Metra lines in DuPage County has increased, particularly in the 1999 to 2002 period. The greatest growth has occurred for the Burlington line, which also carries the highest number of passengers. It should be noted, however, that not all of the growth in Metra ridership can be attributed to business commuters. Metra reports that, since 2000, the number of business commuters has increased by approximately 4 percent, while the number of recreational riders has increased by nearly 20 percent. The second chart indicates that, like Metra trains, PACE buses are primarily used for commuting to work. More than 88 percent of bus riders in DuPage County cite work as their reason for riding the bus. About 27 percent of riders use the bus for social or recreational trips. TAPESTRY The availability of public transportation in a community can influence population growth and economic growth. Potential homebuyers who work in downtown areas are attracted to suburban communities with good public transit systems. The availability of public transportation also helps relieve the burden of commuter vehicle traffic. As public transit ridership continues to rise, the decrease in automobile use will be a needed relief for ozone levels and air quality within the community. Increased public transportation usage can also contribute to decreases in unintentional injuries; namely, those resulting from car crashes. HOW TO GET INVOLVED OR LEARN MORE If you have an interest in getting involved, please feel free to contact:
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