Sep 18, 2024 - News
We're driving less than we did before COVID
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The Bay Area is an outlier when it comes to miles driven in a post-pandemic world.
Why it matters: The COVID-19 pandemic, when driving plummeted as people sought to "stop the spread," was a unique chance for cities to get a lasting handle on transportation-related emissions.
Driving the news: Driving rates are above pre-pandemic levels in almost every major U.S. metro but not here in the Bay Area, according to a new report from StreetLight Data, a transportation analytics firm.
- Average daily vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per capita increased 12.3% across the 100 biggest U.S. metro areas this past spring compared to the same period in 2019.
- VMT fell in just 12 of the metros, including in San Francisco and San Jose.
Zoom in: The metros with the biggest reductions in VMT per capita are concentrated in California, like Los Angeles (-16.6%), San Francisco (-13.2%) and San Jose (-12.3%).
- Lower VMT can be a sign of successful public transit or cycling projects — or an indication that lots of people are still working hybrid or remotely.