Employment
Method of travel to work
About this topic
Method of travel to work shows how employed residents usually got to work on Census day, including private vehicle, public transport, active travel, and working from home. It provides a snapshot of commuting behaviour rather than the full transport system.
This topic supports transport and infrastructure planning and helps show how residents access employment. The 2021 results need caution because many parts of Australia were affected by COVID-19 lockdowns, which increased working from home and reduced some other travel modes.
Interpretation notes
- Method of travel to work captures the journey to work on Census day, not a person's usual weekly travel pattern.
- It applies only to employed people and is most useful with place of work or car ownership when considering transport access.
- The 2021 Census occurred during COVID-19 restrictions in many places, so work-from-home and some travel modes need caution in trend comparisons.
Key insight
In 2021, car driver was the most common travel method among employed residents in Mackay (R), accounting for 71.1% (41,945 people). This share was higher than Regional Qld (64.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in car driver, which increased by 5,077 people and 1.2 percentage points.
Section overview
Method of travel to work
Mackay (R) - Employed persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises method of travel to work for Mackay (R) in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Regional Qld and change since 2016.
Method of travel to work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Mackay (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.
Train
2021 count
20
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
20
0.0%
-0.1pp
Bus
2021 count
893
% of total
1.5%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
893
1.5%
-0.7pp
Tram
2021 count
0
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
0
0.0%
0.0pp
Ferry
2021 count
18
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
18
0.0%
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
2021 count
135
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
135
0.2%
0.0pp
Car - as driver
2021 count
41,945
% of total
71.1%
Change from 2016
+1.2pp
41,945
71.1%
+1.2pp
Car - as passenger
2021 count
3,021
% of total
5.1%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
3,021
5.1%
-0.4pp
Truck
2021 count
410
% of total
0.7%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
410
0.7%
-0.2pp
Motorbike
2021 count
289
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
289
0.5%
-0.2pp
Bicycle
2021 count
300
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
300
0.5%
-0.3pp
Walked only
2021 count
1,169
% of total
2.0%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
1,169
2.0%
-0.5pp
Other
2021 count
603
% of total
1.0%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
603
1.0%
-0.2pp
Worked at home
2021 count
3,063
% of total
5.2%
Change from 2016
+1.0pp
3,063
5.2%
+1.0pp
Did not go to work
2021 count
6,749
% of total
11.4%
Change from 2016
+0.7pp
6,749
11.4%
+0.7pp
Not stated
2021 count
340
% of total
0.6%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
340
0.6%
-0.5pp
Chart view
Method of travel to work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Train
-11
-0.1pp
Bus
-281
-0.7pp
Tram
-3
0.0pp
Ferry
+12
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
+54
0.0pp
Car - as driver
+5,077
+1.2pp
Car - as passenger
+117
-0.4pp
Truck
-57
-0.2pp
Motorbike
-94
-0.2pp
Bicycle
-113
-0.3pp
Walked only
-137
-0.5pp
Other
-34
-0.2pp
Worked at home
+841
+1.0pp
Did not go to work
+1,087
+0.7pp
Not stated
-226
-0.5pp
Data table
Method of travel to work for Mackay (R). Method of travel to work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Regional Qld.
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Regional Qld% | Count | % | Regional Qld% | Count | pp | |
| Train | 20 | 0.0% | 0.4% | 31 | 0.1% | 0.6% | -11 | -0.1pp |
| Bus | 893 | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1,174 | 2.2% | 1.7% | -281 | -0.7pp |
| Tram | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% | 3 | 0.0% | 0.2% | -3 | 0.0pp |
| Ferry | 18 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 6 | 0.0% | 0.1% | +12 | 0.0pp |
| Taxi/ride-share | 135 | 0.2% | 0.2% | 81 | 0.2% | 0.2% | +54 | 0.0pp |
| Car - as driver | 41,945 | 71.1% | 64.2% | 36,868 | 69.9% | 67.0% | +5,077 | +1.2pp |
| Car - as passenger | 3,021 | 5.1% | 4.9% | 2,904 | 5.5% | 5.5% | +117 | -0.4pp |
| Truck | 410 | 0.7% | 0.8% | 467 | 0.9% | 1.0% | -57 | -0.2pp |
| Motorbike | 289 | 0.5% | 0.6% | 383 | 0.7% | 0.8% | -94 | -0.2pp |
| Bicycle | 300 | 0.5% | 0.7% | 413 | 0.8% | 0.9% | -113 | -0.3pp |
| Walked only | 1,169 | 2.0% | 3.0% | 1,306 | 2.5% | 3.7% | -137 | -0.5pp |
| Other | 603 | 1.0% | 1.5% | 637 | 1.2% | 1.7% | -34 | -0.2pp |
| Worked at home | 3,063 | 5.2% | 10.6% | 2,222 | 4.2% | 6.0% | +841 | +1.0pp |
| Did not go to work | 6,749 | 11.4% | 11.2% | 5,662 | 10.7% | 9.7% | +1,087 | +0.7pp |
| Not stated | 340 | 0.6% | 0.6% | 566 | 1.1% | 1.0% | -226 | -0.5pp |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 58,955 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 52,723 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +6,232 | 0.0pp |