Most drivers go solo

WASHINGTON - The vast majority of drivers who flood D.C. area roadways every day are going it alone.

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey looked at travel patterns between 2006 and 2008.

The survey finds that of the 2,221,629 workers age 16 and older in the area, 1,415,834 of them drive to work alone.

Only 237,724 are actively carpooling, and 363,334 are taking public transportation.

With all those single-occupancy vehicles on the road, the numbers provide a window as to why the D.C. region is pegged with the second-worst congestion in the country.

Other points of interest with this survey:

• If your commute takes you about 32 minutes, then you are in the majority when it comes to average travel time around here.

• However, the numbers also show that about 3 out of every 10 commuters are spending 45 minutes or more behind the wheel.

• When does everyone decide to leave for work? More than 4 out of every 10 drivers hit the road between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

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