Most Caltech community members usually get to and from campus without driving alone, and many programs exist to help commuters reduce the environmental footprint of their transportation.
Mobility trends in a post-pandemic world have taken shape over the past few years highlighted by the prevalence of telecommuting as a relatively low but steady proportion of the working population, the slow recovery of public transit and carpool programs, and the return of cities to mostly car-dominated setups. Caltech mobility trends have seemingly stabilized at a slightly higher average vehicle ridership (AVR) of around 1.81, well above the regulatory requirement of 1.5.
When diving deeper into transportation metrics, commute distance has held relatively steady over the past decade which complicates efforts to further improve our AVR. Two-thirds of staff still drive alone to work, a number that has fully returned to pre-pandemic levels. Targeting this demographic for carpooling, vanpooling, transit, and flexible commuting opportunities will be key to improving performance.
2023 Commuter Breakdown
46% walk or bike
41% drive alone
9% take a train or bus or carpool
4% telecommute
Caltech staff and students can receive free and discounted passes for Metro trains and other public transportation. The A line Metro light rail train, which connects Asuza to Long Beach, traveling through Pasadena and Los Angeles Union Station, is pictured top of page.
