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 Thomastown, accounting for 59.2% (4,643 people). This share was higher than Whittlesea (C) (58.3%). Since 2016, the biggest change was in working from home, which increased by 985 people and 12.4 percentage points.
Section overview
Method of travel to work
Thomastown - Employed persons (Usual residence)
This table summarises method of travel to work for Thomastown in 2021 for persons, with comparison against Whittlesea (C) and change since 2016.
Method of travel to work snapshot
2021 distribution by category for Thomastown, with comparison markers for Whittlesea (C).
Train
2021 count
490
% of total
6.2%
Change from 2016
-6.6pp
490
6.2%
-6.6pp
Bus
2021 count
77
% of total
1.0%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
77
1.0%
-0.2pp
Tram
2021 count
0
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
0
0.0%
-0.2pp
Ferry
2021 count
0
% of total
0.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
0
0.0%
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
2021 count
37
% of total
0.5%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
37
0.5%
0.0pp
Car - as driver
2021 count
4,643
% of total
59.2%
Change from 2016
-5.9pp
4,643
59.2%
-5.9pp
Car - as passenger
2021 count
386
% of total
4.9%
Change from 2016
-0.4pp
386
4.9%
-0.4pp
Truck
2021 count
60
% of total
0.8%
Change from 2016
-0.2pp
60
0.8%
-0.2pp
Motorbike
2021 count
17
% of total
0.2%
Change from 2016
-0.1pp
17
0.2%
-0.1pp
Bicycle
2021 count
29
% of total
0.4%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
29
0.4%
0.0pp
Walked only
2021 count
81
% of total
1.0%
Change from 2016
0.0pp
81
1.0%
0.0pp
Other
2021 count
104
% of total
1.3%
Change from 2016
+0.2pp
104
1.3%
+0.2pp
Worked at home
2021 count
1,131
% of total
14.4%
Change from 2016
+12.4pp
1,131
14.4%
+12.4pp
Did not go to work
2021 count
730
% of total
9.3%
Change from 2016
+2.1pp
730
9.3%
+2.1pp
Not stated
2021 count
56
% of total
0.7%
Change from 2016
-1.2pp
56
0.7%
-1.2pp
Chart view
Method of travel to work change
Absolute change in category counts between 2016 and 2021.
Train
-456
-6.6pp
Bus
-9
-0.2pp
Tram
-13
-0.2pp
Ferry
0
0.0pp
Taxi/ride-share
-2
0.0pp
Car - as driver
-154
-5.9pp
Car - as passenger
-8
-0.4pp
Truck
-12
-0.2pp
Motorbike
-5
-0.1pp
Bicycle
0
0.0pp
Walked only
+9
0.0pp
Other
+23
+0.2pp
Worked at home
+985
+12.4pp
Did not go to work
+197
+2.1pp
Not stated
-85
-1.2pp
Data table
Method of travel to work for Thomastown. Method of travel to work. 2021 and 2016 counts, percentages, and change compared with Whittlesea (C).
| Category | 2021 | 2016 | Change | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Count | % | Whittlesea (C)% | Count | % | Whittlesea (C)% | Count | pp | |
| Train | 490 | 6.2% | 3.8% | 946 | 12.8% | 9.4% | -456 | -6.6pp |
| Bus | 77 | 1.0% | 0.8% | 86 | 1.2% | 1.1% | -9 | -0.2pp |
| Tram | 0 | 0.0% | 0.1% | 13 | 0.2% | 0.3% | -13 | -0.2pp |
| Ferry | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0pp |
| Taxi/ride-share | 37 | 0.5% | 0.2% | 39 | 0.5% | 0.2% | -2 | 0.0pp |
| Car - as driver | 4,643 | 59.2% | 58.3% | 4,797 | 65.1% | 69.2% | -154 | -5.9pp |
| Car - as passenger | 386 | 4.9% | 3.8% | 394 | 5.3% | 4.2% | -8 | -0.4pp |
| Truck | 60 | 0.8% | 0.7% | 72 | 1.0% | 0.8% | -12 | -0.2pp |
| Motorbike | 17 | 0.2% | 0.1% | 22 | 0.3% | 0.2% | -5 | -0.1pp |
| Bicycle | 29 | 0.4% | 0.1% | 29 | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0 | 0.0pp |
| Walked only | 81 | 1.0% | 0.6% | 72 | 1.0% | 0.8% | +9 | 0.0pp |
| Other | 104 | 1.3% | 1.0% | 81 | 1.1% | 1.0% | +23 | +0.2pp |
| Worked at home | 1,131 | 14.4% | 19.1% | 146 | 2.0% | 2.7% | +985 | +12.4pp |
| Did not go to work | 730 | 9.3% | 10.8% | 533 | 7.2% | 8.6% | +197 | +2.1pp |
| Not stated | 56 | 0.7% | 0.5% | 141 | 1.9% | 1.2% | -85 | -1.2pp |
| Total employed persons aged 15+ | 7,841 | 100.0% | 100.0% | 7,371 | 100.0% | 100.0% | +470 | 0.0pp |