Over nine million Australians travel to work each week, commuting by car, bus, train,
tram, bicycle, ferry or foot. These days, more than ever before, employees are
commuting for longer, in traffic that is more congested, to reach workplaces that are
further away.
Using data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA)
Survey conducted by The Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social
Research in 2002, this paper explores patterns of commuting among adult Australians in
paid work. The sample consists of 5898 people aged 18 to 64 years who participate in
some kind of paid work.