DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - Riding public transportation to work in Dallas may be more convenient and less stressful, but it's quicker to take your own vehicle and fight the freeways.
That's the main finding in a new report from the fleet management and vehicle-tracking company Geotab.
Geotab analyzed data on more than a million commuters in 20 major U.S. cities. In the Dallas area, they found the average commute time on public transportation is 53 minutes. Geotab's Kelly Hall said, "When we looked at drivers by car getting to their destination in Dallas, we saw much different results. The average commute time by car is about 30 minutes, and about 52% of the population that are commuting can make it to their destination in under 30 minutes."
In comparison, Geotab found that only 12% of commuters on public transit are able to arrive at their destination within a half-hour.
Hall said the findings came as a surprise. "You typically think that if you're using public transporation, you're going to be able to get to your destination a little quicker because you're avoiding the traffic congestion. Clearly, we're seeing the opposite results here."
Geotab says communities like Dallas can use the information to find ways to improve their infrastructure and make public transporation a more attractive option. Hall said, "They're trying to encourage people to go green and have less vehicles on the road. They need the supporting tools in place, such as an effective public transit system, to get us there."
When it comes to public transportation, only Los Angeles (54 minutes) had a longer average commute than Dallas. Commuters in Washington, D.C., have the longest average journey by car, at 41 minutes.
ONLINE: Geotab Commute Study