Trends

Our region depends on driving as the primary means of transportation, although use of public transit is increasing. Ninety-one percent of the region's residents have access to a car at home, on par with national rates. We drive to work and have access to cars at significantly higher rates than our peers statewide, although much of this is due to New York City transportation patterns. This holds true, though to a lesser extent, in the City of Rochester where roughly 3 out of 4 residents have regular access to a car and drive alone to work. While driving is our primary means of transportation, public transit ridership has increased over the past decade in every one of the seven counties except Genesee. Monroe has the highest ridership rate and 10% of residents in the City of Rochester commute via public transportation.

Residents in Monroe County, particularly in Rochester, have much shorter commutes than residents in other counties and the nation. At 21 minutes, the average commute in the region overall is about 20% less than the national average and 35% less than the statewide average. Residents in Livingston County had the longest average commute time, matching the nation at 25 minutes, while the Rochester residents had the shortest average commute time at 18 minutes.

Although crash fatalities have declined steadily throughout the decade, our region and the state have seen a dramatic increase in alcohol-related crashes. Between 2006 and 2008, the region's rate of alcohol-related crashes per 10,000 residents has increased 85%, while state rates have increased to a lesser degree. In Genesee, there were nearly 18 alcohol-related crashes per 10,000 residents in 2008, the highest in the region. Monroe has consistently had the lowest rate of crash fatalities, remaining at or below state rates throughout the decade. Rates of crashes involving personal injury decreased for all counties, but the regional rate still exceeds that of the state.

Average airfare at the Greater Rochester International Airport is substantially cheaper today than it was a decade ago. This trend holds true nationally as well, but Rochester's prices have experienced a percentage decline almost double that of the nation, and since 2002 our average fare has been below the national average. The arrival of discount airlines like JetBlue (2000) and AirTran (2002) greatly improved fares for local travelers. Rochester's average fares have been consistently higher than fares in Buffalo and lower than those in Syracuse.

Banner photo provided by Rochester Downtown Development Corp.