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 Rutherford, accounting for 63.4% (3,559 people). This share was higher than Maitland (C) (59%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in working from home, which increased by 527 people and 9.2 percentage points.

Section overview

Method of travel to work

Rutherford - Employed persons (Usual residence)

This table summarises method of travel to work for Rutherford in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Maitland (C) and change since 2016.

Method of travel to work snapshot

2021 distribution by category for Rutherford, with comparison markers for Maitland (C).

Rutherford
Maitland (C)

Train

2021 count

35

% of total

0.6%

Change from 2016

-0.6pp

Bus

2021 count

28

% of total

0.5%

Change from 2016

-0.5pp

Tram

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Ferry

2021 count

0

% of total

0.0%

Change from 2016

-0.1pp

Taxi/ride-share

2021 count

9

% of total

0.2%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Car - as driver

2021 count

3,559

% of total

63.4%

Change from 2016

-9.3pp

Car - as passenger

2021 count

239

% of total

4.3%

Change from 2016

-1.9pp

Truck

2021 count

46

% of total

0.8%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Motorbike

2021 count

32

% of total

0.6%

Change from 2016

0.0pp

Bicycle

2021 count

16

% of total

0.3%

Change from 2016

+0.2pp

Walked only

2021 count

66

% of total

1.2%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

Other

2021 count

54

% of total

1.0%

Change from 2016

-0.7pp

Worked at home

2021 count

604

% of total

10.8%

Change from 2016

+9.2pp

Did not go to work

2021 count

904

% of total

16.1%

Change from 2016

+4.5pp

Not stated

2021 count

22

% of total

0.4%

Change from 2016

-0.3pp

Data table

Method of travel to work for Rutherford. Method of travel to work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Maitland (C).

Method of travel to work for Rutherford. Method of travel to work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Maitland (C).
Method of travel to work for Rutherford. Method of travel to work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Maitland (C).
Category20212016Change
Count%Maitland (C)%Count%Maitland (C)%Countpp
Train350.6%0.6%561.2%1.3%-21-0.6pp
Bus280.5%0.3%471.0%0.6%-19-0.5pp
Tram00.0%0.0%00.0%0.0%00.0pp
Ferry00.0%0.0%40.1%0.0%-4-0.1pp
Taxi/ride-share90.2%0.1%90.2%0.1%00.0pp
Car - as driver3,55963.4%59.0%3,46172.7%73.6%+98-9.3pp
Car - as passenger2394.3%3.6%2936.2%4.8%-54-1.9pp
Truck460.8%0.7%360.8%0.9%+100.0pp
Motorbike320.6%0.3%300.6%0.4%+20.0pp
Bicycle160.3%0.2%60.1%0.3%+10+0.2pp
Walked only661.2%1.1%721.5%1.5%-6-0.3pp
Other541.0%0.8%791.7%1.1%-25-0.7pp
Worked at home60410.8%17.0%771.6%3.4%+527+9.2pp
Did not go to work90416.1%15.9%55411.6%11.3%+350+4.5pp
Not stated220.4%0.3%350.7%0.7%-13-0.3pp
Total employed persons aged 15+5,614100.0%100.0%4,759100.0%100.0%+8550.0pp