{"id":360337,"date":"2025-11-07T11:14:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T16:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/?p=360337"},"modified":"2025-11-07T11:14:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T16:14:46","slug":"majority-commuters-only-feel-safe-in-single-occupancy-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/car\/majority-commuters-only-feel-safe-in-single-occupancy-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"STUDY: Majority of Commuters Say They Will Only Feel Safe in Single-Occupancy Vehicles for the Next 10 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- Table of Contents -->\n<div id=\"table-of-contents\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#survey-findings\">Survey Findings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#covid-impact\">COVID-19&#8217;s Impact on Commuting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#survey-methodology\">Survey Methodology<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<!-- Introductory Paragraph -->\n<p>Hybrid work has stabilized around 28\u201330% of paid workdays done from home (<a href=\"https:\/\/wfhresearch.com\/\">WFH Research<\/a>), reshaping commute frequency and timing while single-occupancy driving remains the top choice. Road congestion has broadly rebounded with midweek peaks (<a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a>), and U.S. public transit ridership generally sits around 75\u201385% of 2019 levels on recent months (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.transit.dot.gov\/ntd\/data-product\/monthly-module-adjusted-data-release\">FTA NTD<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apta.com\/research-technical-resources\/transit-statistics\/ridership-report\/\">APTA<\/a>). Safety, cleanliness, reliability, and service frequency are now crucial for commuters (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportfocus.org.uk\">Transport Focus<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n<p>While single-occupancy vehicles have always been a popular choice for many commuters, the post-pandemic landscape looks different than it did in 2020: about 28\u201329% of paid workdays are now worked from home (<a href=\"https:\/\/wfhresearch.com\/\">WFH Research<\/a>), road congestion has broadly rebounded and concentrates Tuesday\u2013Thursday with flatter peaks (<a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a>), and national public transit ridership typically ranges around 75\u201385% of 2019 baselines, with bus\/light rail closer to recovery than heavy\/commuter rail (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.transit.dot.gov\/ntd\/data-product\/monthly-module-adjusted-data-release\">FTA NTD<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apta.com\/research-technical-resources\/transit-statistics\/ridership-report\/\">APTA<\/a>). Many people still favor the perceived reliability and control of driving, while safety, cleanliness, and reliable frequency continue to shape when and how riders use transit\u2014often with stronger Tuesday\u2013Thursday peaks and lighter Mondays\/Fridays (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kastle.com\/safety-wellness\/getting-america-back-to-work\/\">Kastle Back to Work Barometer<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to get a sense of how people will feel the safest commuting in the next decade, recent U.S. data point to a durable hybrid norm: roughly 28%\u201330% of paid workdays are done from home (<a href=\"https:\/\/wfhresearch.com\/\">WFH Research<\/a>), office occupancy shows entrenched midweek peaks (often >60% of pre\u2011pandemic levels Tue\u2013Wed and far softer Fridays) (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kastle.com\/safety-wellness\/getting-america-back-to-work\/\">Kastle<\/a>), and commuters prioritize flexibility and reliability alongside safety (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportfocus.org.uk\">Transport Focus<\/a>). These factors help explain why driving alone remains dominant for many trips, even as transit and rideshare have regained ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"survey-findings\">Survey Findings:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Driving alone remains the dominant U.S. commute mode<\/strong> and car occupancy for commuting is near one person per vehicle (~1.1), reflecting the persistence of single-occupancy trips (<a href=\"https:\/\/nhts.ornl.gov\/assets\/2022_NHTS_Summary_Trends_Report.pdf\">2022 NHTS<\/a>).<\/li><li>Safety and security perceptions matter: <strong>daytime feels safer than after dark<\/strong>, with women reporting lower feelings of safety; visible staff, cleanliness, and reliable frequency increase willingness to ride (<a href=\"https:\/\/www150.statcan.gc.ca\/n1\/daily-quotidien\/240306\/dq240306a-eng.htm\">Statistics Canada<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/tfl.gov.uk\/corporate\/publications-and-reports\/crime-and-incident-bulletins\">TfL\/BTP<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportfocus.org.uk\">Transport Focus<\/a>).<\/li><li><strong>Rideshare services are widely used<\/strong> for certain trips and times, with platforms reintroducing pooled options and adding safety features (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lyft.com\">Women+ Connect<\/a>, optional <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uber.com\/us\/en\/safety\/\">in\u2011app audio recording<\/a>; pooled options like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uber.com\/us\/en\/ride\/uberx-share\/\">UberX Share<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lyft.com\">Lyft Shared<\/a>; core safety toolkits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uber.com\/us\/en\/safety\/\">Uber Safety<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lyft.com\/safety\">Lyft Safety<\/a>). Availability varies by city.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"covid-impact\">COVID-19&#8217;s Impact on Commuting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The early-pandemic focus on distancing has given way to concerns about reliability, cleanliness, and personal security. National public transit ridership has rebounded to roughly 75\u201385% of 2019 levels on recent months, with bus generally recovering faster than rail and weekend and off-peak trips often leading weekdays (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.transit.dot.gov\/ntd\/data-product\/monthly-module-adjusted-data-release\">FTA NTD<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apta.com\/research-technical-resources\/transit-statistics\/ridership-report\/\">APTA<\/a>). Commuter rail remains the laggard in many regions as hybrid schedules concentrate commuting into fewer midweek days (<a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kastle.com\/safety-wellness\/getting-america-back-to-work\/\">Kastle<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While surveying a batch of U.S. commuters, their preference was clear for at least the next decade: flexibility first. Many remote-capable employees commute two to three days per week and choose the fastest, most reliable option on those days\u2014often driving where parking is easy, or frequent transit where it competes on door-to-door time (<a href=\"https:\/\/wfhresearch.com\/\">WFH Research<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportfocus.org.uk\">Transport Focus<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/tfl.gov.uk\/corporate\/publications-and-reports\/travel-in-london-reports\">TfL \u2013 Travel in London 16<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of the people the research team spoke with regarding this perception, the most common response today centers on safety and reliability: concerns about harassment or disorder (especially at night) and long waits drive some riders to avoid certain times or routes, while visible staff and dependable frequency make trips feel safer (<a href=\"https:\/\/tfl.gov.uk\/corporate\/publications-and-reports\/crime-and-incident-bulletins\">TfL\/BTP<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www150.statcan.gc.ca\/n1\/daily-quotidien\/240306\/dq240306a-eng.htm\">Statistics Canada<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportfocus.org.uk\">Transport Focus<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI feel much safer riding when there are staff or ambassadors around and trains come frequently \u2014 long waits at night are what make me uneasy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cEven as incident rates improve, I still avoid late-night trips when platforms are quiet; daytime feels fine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s worth mentioning how increases in single occupancy increase several troubling metrics including traffic, pollution, and car accidents, to name a few. Transportation is the largest U.S. greenhouse-gas sector and light-duty vehicles are the biggest contributor within it (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ghgemissions\/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks\">EPA Inventory<\/a>); congestion in major metros increased again in 2024 (<a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a>); and while traffic fatalities have edged down from pandemic-era peaks, total deaths remain high by historical standards (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/press-releases\">NHTSA<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In November 2020, The Reviews.com research team found that many drivers felt overwhelmed while returning to a more normal driving schedule. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/car\/study-after-months-of-quarantine-28-of-people-now-report-feeling-overwhelmed-and-overstimulated-by-driving\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Earlier Reviews.com research<\/a> captured that moment; since then, independent traffic analytics show many large metros surpassing 2019 congestion levels by 2023\u20132024, with pronounced midweek peaks (<a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"survey-methodology\">Survey Methodology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>This update synthesizes multiple 2024\u20132025 data sources (e.g., <a href=\"https:\/\/wfhresearch.com\/\">WFH Research\/SWAA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\">U.S. Census ACS 2023<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transit.dot.gov\/ntd\/data-product\/monthly-module-adjusted-data-release\">FTA NTD<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apta.com\/research-technical-resources\/transit-statistics\/ridership-report\/\">APTA<\/a> ridership, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kastle.com\/safety-wellness\/getting-america-back-to-work\/\">Kastle Systems<\/a> office occupancy, <a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a> congestion, <a href=\"https:\/\/tfl.gov.uk\/corporate\/publications-and-reports\/crime-and-incident-bulletins\">TfL\/BTP<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.transportfocus.org.uk\">Transport Focus<\/a> safety\/perception, <a href=\"https:\/\/nhts.ornl.gov\/assets\/2022_NHTS_Summary_Trends_Report.pdf\">NHTS<\/a> occupancy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/press-releases\">NHTSA<\/a> fatalities, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/ghgemissions\/inventory-us-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks\">EPA<\/a> GHGs, <a href=\"https:\/\/highways.dot.gov\/policy-information\/travel-monitoring\/traffic-volume-trends\">FHWA VMT<\/a>, and official platform pages for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uber.com\/us\/en\/ride\/uberx-share\/\">Uber<\/a>\/<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lyft.com\">Lyft<\/a>).<\/li><li>Figures reflect U.S. national or multi-city trends; conditions vary by region, mode, time of day, and employer policies (with common Tuesday\u2013Thursday peaks and lighter Mondays\/Fridays) (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kastle.com\/safety-wellness\/getting-america-back-to-work\/\">Kastle<\/a>; <a href=\"https:\/\/inrix.com\/scorecard\/\">INRIX<\/a>).<\/li><li>Historical context: Reviews.com previously surveyed 1,221 U.S. residents online (Mar 10\u201316, 2021). Current statistics and sources cited here supersede early-pandemic perceptions where noted.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Survey Findings COVID-19&#8217;s Impact on Commuting Survey Methodology Hybrid work has stabilized around 28\u201330% of paid workdays done from home (WFH Research), reshaping commute frequency and timing while single-occupancy driving remains the top choice. Road congestion has broadly rebounded with midweek peaks (INRIX), and U.S. public transit ridership generally sits around 75\u201385% of 2019 levels [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":345,"featured_media":360338,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1266],"tags":[15316],"post_author":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>STUDY: Majority of Commuters Say They Will Only Feel Safe in Single-Occupancy Vehicles for the Next 10 Years - Reviews.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Reviews.com surveyed U.S. residents to see how safe they would feel on public or mass transport after COVID-19 \u2014 many will have lingering anxiety.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviews.com\/insurance\/car\/majority-commuters-only-feel-safe-in-single-occupancy-vehicles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"STUDY: Majority of Commuters Say They Will Only Feel Safe in Single-Occupancy Vehicles for the Next 10 Years - 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