Method of travel to work (15 travel modes) (MTW15P)

Latest release
Census of Population and Housing: Census dictionary
Reference period
2021

Definition

These variables record the method of travel to work in 15 travel modes on Census day 10 August 2021. Data is derived from the Method of travel to work MTWP variable.

See also Method of travel to work (6 travel modes) (MTW06P).

Scope

Persons aged 15 years or over who stated their labour force status as ‘employed’

Categories

CodeCategory
01Train
02Bus
03Ferry
04Tram/light rail
05Taxi/ride-share service
06Car, as driver
07Car, as passenger
08Truck
09Motorbike/scooter
10Bicycle
11Other mode
12Walked only
13Worked at home
14Did not go to work
15Not stated
@@Not applicable
VVOverseas visitor

Number of categories: 17

Not applicable (@@) comprises:

  • Unemployed persons looking for either part-time or full-time work
  • Persons not in the labour force
  • Persons with Labour force status (LFSP) not stated

Persons aged under 15 years

See Understanding supplementary codes for more information.

Question(s) from the Census form

How did the person get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021?

How did the person get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021?
How did Person 1 get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021? If the person used more than one method of travel to work, select all methods used. More information How person got to work Train Bus Ferry Tram (including light rail) Taxi or ride-share service Car – as a driver Car – as a passenger Truck Motorbike or motor scooter Bicycle Walked only Other Worked at home Did not go to work

Example

Method of travel to work (15 travel modes) example - car as a driver response selected

Example

How did Person 1 get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021? If the person used more than one method of travel to work, select all methods used. More information How person got to work Train Bus Ferry Tram (including light rail) Taxi or ride-share service Car – as a driver (selected response) Car – as a passenger Truck Motorbike or motor scooter Bicycle Walked only Other Worked at home Did not go to work

More information

Additional information relating to the question on: How did the person get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021?

More information

How did Person 1 get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021? If the person used more than one method of travel to work, select all methods used. More information Select all methods of travel used by the person to get to work on Tuesday 10 August 2021. For example, if the person drove a car to a train station and then took a train to work, select both 'Car – as a driver' and 'Train' boxes. If the person walked all the way to work, select 'Walked only'. Do not include methods of travel for the journey home.

How this variable is created

These variables are derived from the Census variable MTWP which records the method used to travel to work on the day of the Census. The MTWP classification has been sourced from the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Research Economics.

The table in MTW06P shows how categories are aggregated to create Method of travel to work (15 travel modes).

History and changes

This variable was first introduced in 2016.

Minor updates to the category labels have been made to align with MTWP.

Data use considerations

Mode 15 reflects the ‘main mode’ used in that journey from home to workplace. Where multiple methods of work are used, a priority hierarchy is used to make assumptions for the ‘main mode’. The priority hierarchy for mode 15 is:

  • Train
  • Bus
  • Ferry
  • Tram/light rail
  • Taxi/ride-share service
  • Vehicle driver
  • Vehicle passenger
  • Truck
  • Motorbike or motor scooter
  • Bicycle
  • Walked only
  • Other mode (not elsewhere specified)

For example, if a person selected, ‘Train’ and ‘Bus’, their mode of transport would be coded to ‘1 Train’ for Mode of travel to work (15 modes), even if ‘bus’ made the majority of the trip, due to the higher ranking of ‘train’ in the priority list.

This variable is derived from the Method of travel to work (MTWP) variable. Unlike most Census variables, the non-response rate for Method of travel to work (MTWP) is not affected by persons who did not return a Census form because this variable is only applicable to persons with a labour force status of 'employed'. Persons who do not respond or have a labour force status of 'not stated' are not applicable to Method of Travel to Work.

The non-response rate for Method of travel to work (MTWP) was 0.5% in 2021. This is a decrease from 1.0% in 2016. 

Usual method of travel to work

When using this data with Place of work (POWP) data, users should be aware that POWP refers to the main job last week, while MTWP refers to Census day. This may explain why, for a small proportion of records, MTWP data may appear inconsistent with POWP or Place of usual residence (PURP) information. 

For example, a person may have been working in the centre of Perth on 10 August 2021 and have travelled there by train, however in the week before the Census, they may have been working in an outer suburb of Perth and travelled there by car. In this case, the person would have their MTWP as train on the Census form, whilst their usual travel pattern would be by car.

Other scenario examples:

  • If a person who had a job became unemployed, retired or on leave on 10 August 2021, their MTWP would not reflect their usual travel pattern.
  • If a person who was unemployed but gained employment in the week before Census, their MTWP would not be captured. The sequencing of questions is based on labour force status in the week before Census.
  • If a person rides a bicycle a couple days per week, but ‘usually’ catches the bus, the MTWP focuses on the activity specific to Census day, to capture the minor mode of travel i.e. bicycle.
Walked only

If a person walked some of the way to work and used other methods, it is not included as an additional method. For example, if they walked then caught the bus, then ‘Bus’ only should be selected. Only if the person walked all the way to work, should ‘Walked only’ be selected.

Lockdown

A number of regions across the country were in various stages of lockdown on Census day, and the week preceding it, resulting in a greater number of people working from their homes. Not only may this impact their responses for their place of work, but also, their travel to work.  Guidance on how to correctly respond was provided at the time on the Census website, as follows:

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

If you are currently working from home due to COVID-19 restrictions, but usually attend a workplace, please write the employer's usual workplace address.

Answering questions about whether you had a job

If you were employed in the four weeks prior to the current lockdown period, but haven't been able to work in the last week due to lockdown or requirement to self-isolate, please select 'Yes, but absent on holidays, on paid leave, on strike or temporarily stood down'.

Answering questions about your workplace and job role

If you were employed in the four weeks prior to the current lockdown period, but haven't been able to work in the last week due to COVID-19 restrictions or requirement to self-isolate, please answer all questions reflecting your usual occupation. This includes your role (such as occupation and tasks performed) and  information about your employer (such as industry and number of employees). 

Related variables and glossary terms

  • Method of travel to work (MTWP)
  • Method of travel to work (6 modes) (MTW06P)
  • Place of work (POWP)
  • Distance to work (ranges) (DTWP)
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