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 Sunshine Coast (R), accounting for 62.6% (100,330 people). This share was lower than Regional Qld (64.2%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in working from home, which increased by 14,004 people and 7.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Method of travel to work
Sunshine Coast (R) - Employed persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises method of travel to work for Sunshine Coast (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 Sunshine Coast (R), with comparison markers for Regional Qld.
Train
2021 count
595
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
595
0.4%
-0.4pp
Bus
2021 count
1,419
% of total
0.9%
Change from 2016
-0.6pp
1,419
0.9%
-0.6pp
Tram
2021 count
0
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
0
0.0%
0.0pp
Ferry
2021 count
28
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
28
0.0%
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
2021 count
184
% of total
0.1%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
184
0.1%
0.0pp
Car - as driver
2021 count
100,330
% of total
62.6%
Change from 2016
-5.4pp
100,330
62.6%
-5.4pp
Car - as passenger
2021 count
6,219
% of total
3.9%
Change from 2016
-0.7pp
6,219
3.9%
-0.7pp
Truck
2021 count
1,265
% of total
0.8%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
1,265
0.8%
-0.3pp
Motorbike
2021 count
730
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
730
0.5%
-0.2pp
Bicycle
2021 count
1,190
% of total
0.7%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
1,190
0.7%
-0.1pp
Walked only
2021 count
3,171
% of total
2.0%
Change from 2016
-0.5pp
3,171
2.0%
-0.5pp
Other
2021 count
1,908
% of total
1.2%
Change from 2016
-0.3pp
1,908
1.2%
-0.3pp
Worked at home
2021 count
23,356
% of total
14.6%
Change from 2016
+7.4pp
23,356
14.6%
+7.4pp
Did not go to work
2021 count
19,112
% of total
11.9%
Change from 2016
+1.6pp
19,112
11.9%
+1.6pp
Not stated
2021 count
782
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
782
0.5%
-0.4pp
Chart view
Method of travel to work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Train
-476
-0.4pp
Bus
-478
-0.6pp
Tram
-16
0.0pp
Ferry
+1
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
+77
0.0pp
Car - as driver
+12,144
-5.4pp
Car - as passenger
+237
-0.7pp
Truck
-101
-0.3pp
Motorbike
-116
-0.2pp
Bicycle
+217
-0.1pp
Walked only
-71
-0.5pp
Other
-83
-0.3pp
Worked at home
+14,004
+7.4pp
Did not go to work
+5,729
+1.6pp
Not stated
-420
-0.4pp
Data table
Method of travel to work for Sunshine Coast (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 | 595 | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1,071 | 0.8% | 0.6% | -476 | -0.4pp |
| Bus | 1,419 | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1,897 | 1.5% | 1.7% | -478 | -0.6pp |
| Tram | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% | 16 | 0.0% | 0.2% | -16 | 0.0pp |
| Ferry | 28 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 27 | 0.0% | 0.1% | +1 | 0.0pp |
| Taxi/ride-share | 184 | 0.1% | 0.2% | 107 | 0.1% | 0.2% | +77 | 0.0pp |
| Car - as driver | 100,330 | 62.6% | 64.2% | 88,186 | 68.0% | 67.0% | +12,144 | -5.4pp |
| Car - as passenger | 6,219 | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5,982 | 4.6% | 5.5% | +237 | -0.7pp |
| Truck | 1,265 | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1,366 | 1.1% | 1.0% | -101 | -0.3pp |
| Motorbike | 730 | 0.5% | 0.6% | 846 | 0.7% | 0.8% | -116 | -0.2pp |
| Bicycle | 1,190 | 0.7% | 0.7% | 973 | 0.8% | 0.9% | +217 | -0.1pp |
| Walked only | 3,171 | 2.0% | 3.0% | 3,242 | 2.5% | 3.7% | -71 | -0.5pp |
| Other | 1,908 | 1.2% | 1.5% | 1,991 | 1.5% | 1.7% | -83 | -0.3pp |
| Worked at home | 23,356 | 14.6% | 10.6% | 9,352 | 7.2% | 6.0% | +14,004 | +7.4pp |
| Did not go to work | 19,112 | 11.9% | 11.2% | 13,383 | 10.3% | 9.7% | +5,729 | +1.6pp |
| Not stated | 782 | 0.5% | 0.6% | 1,202 | 0.9% | 1.0% | -420 | -0.4pp |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 160,289 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 129,641 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +30,648 | 0.0pp |