Commuter Survey Report 2012 by DowntownDenver

Downtown Denver Commuter Survey 2012

With support from

Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc.

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT 511 16th Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202 • 303-534-6161 • www.DowntownDenver.com

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Reinforcing Downtown Denver’s role as the Rocky Mountain region’s transportation hub and expanding and improving Downtown Denver’s transportation amenities are key objectives of the 2007 Downtown Area Plan. Each fall, the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP) surveys employees working in Downtown Denver to examine the commuting trends and habits of Downtown commuters. This year, DDP received a record 3,097 valid responses to the 2012 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey. Survey respondents have an average one-way commute of 14 miles and most (69%) work in the Commercial Core neighborhood of Downtown Denver. Transit and driving alone are the two most commonly used ways Downtown Denver commuters travel to work. When asked how they commuted to work on the day of the survey, 45% reported using transit and 39% reported driving alone. 6% of commuters carpooled, 4% biked and 4% walked to work; smaller numbers teleworked, vanpooled, or used a motorcycle, scooter or moped. Downtown Denver commuters use transit more and drive alone less than commuters in the city of Denver and the United States as a whole. Over 80% of Downtown Denver commuters reported receiving a fully or partially subsidized transit pass from their employers, a highly valued benefit by Downtown Denver employees. The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey also allows DDP researchers to explore differences between groups of commuters. Survey results revealed five key findings about the travel habits of Downtown commuters: 

Employer-provided transportation benefits, such as providing a parking spot or transit pass, have a significant impact on employees’ commuting habits. Employees who receive a parking benefit are more likely to drive to work and less likely to use transit than the commuting population as a whole.



Office neighborhood location affects employees’ commuting choices. For example, those who work in the Cultural Core neighborhood are more likely to bike, carpool and walk, and less likely to use transit than Downtown Denver commuters overall, while Central Platte Valley Commons area commuters are less likely to drive and more likely to use transit (see page 13 for a map of Downtown Denver neighborhoods).



Age has a strong impact on mode choice of commuters. Commuters under the age of 30 have shorter commutes and are more likely to walk or bike than commuters over 30. As commuters get older, they are less likely to walk and bike and more likely to use transit.



Commutes under five miles present more viable opportunities to bike and walk. However, while commuters with short commutes are more likely to bike and walk, 33% still drive alone to work.



Weekend workers have dramatically different commuting patterns than weekday workers. Weekend workers are more likely to drive alone and less likely to use transit than weekday commuters. Also, weekend commuters are more likely to work in the Leisure and Hospitality industry.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary…………………………..……………………….………………....1 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..2 How Commuters Travel to Work……………………………………………………....3 Geographic Comparison………………………………………………………………..4 Alternative Modes…………………………………………………………………….....4 Characteristics of the Sample………………………………………………………….5 Access to Employer-Provided Transportation Benefits……………………………..6 In-depth Analysis…………………………………………………………………………6 Impact of Employer-Provided Transportation Benefits……………………………...7 Impact of Office Neighborhood………………………………………………………...8 Impact of Age and the Millennial Generation………………………………………...9 Looking at Short Commutes…………………………………………………………..10 The Unique Commuting Habits of Weekend and Hospitality Commuters……….11 Conclusion and Next Steps…………………………………………………………...12 Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………….13 Methodology…………………………………………………………………….……...13 Conditions……………………………………………………………………….……...13 Limitations……………………………………………………………………….……...14 INTRODUCTION Each fall, the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP) surveys employees working in Downtown Denver to examine the commuting trends and habits of Downtown commuters. The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey measures a sample of the Downtown Denver employee population to analyze commuting patterns, explore the attractiveness of transportation benefits and determine how commuters currently travel to their Downtown offices. Understanding the commuting preferences, options and trends of Downtown employees plays a critical role in the management and planning of Downtown Denver. In September and October 2012, DDP received 3,407 completed commuter surveys. DDP researchers determined that 3,097 surveys met the criteria for a valid response. While the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey aims to be as objective, reliable and valid as possible, it is important to note that it is not a scientific survey. For a detailed description of the survey methodology, conditions during the time of the survey, and survey limitations, please see Appendix A.

How Commuters Travel to Work The 2012 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey (the Survey) measures the mode commuters use to travel Downtown in three ways: how the respondent traveled to work the day they completed the survey, how the respondent travels to work most days, and how the respondent traveled to work every day in the previous week. In each measure, transit and driving alone were the most commonly used modes. Table 1: Mode Split of Downtown Commuters* Mode Today Most days Average all days Used transit 44.6% 48.9% 38.2% Drove alone 38.7% 35.9% 42.0% Carpooled 5.6% 4.9% 4.8% Bicycled 4.3% 4.8% 4.9% Walked 3.8% 3.6% 4.9% Moped/scooter/motorcycle 1.8% 1.3% 1.7% Teleworked 0.8% 0.2% 3.2% Vanpooled 0.5% 0.4% 0.3% n (sample size) 3077 3096 varies *note: does not include “did not work today” or blank responses

Average M-F 45.3% 37.6% 5.3% 4.7% 3.6% 1.8% 1.5% 0.3% varies

While each measure has its strengths and weaknesses and communicates something about commuting habits, the DDP research team primarily uses the measurement of how the respondent traveled to work today for survey analysis. The research team feels this measure most accurately reflects commuting because it has a lower potential for self-report bias than asking commuters how they typically travel to work. Visit www.downtowndenver.com for full results of each mode measure. Asking respondents how they traveled to work each day of the week allows DDP to compare weekday and weekend commuters. Employees who work in Downtown Denver on the weekends have dramatically different commuting patterns and characteristics than weekday commuters. This report will explore weekend vs. weekday commuters in more detail, as well as other key themes from the Survey, in the “Major Findings” section.

Figure 1: Mode Used on Day of Survey n=3077 Used transit

44.6%

Drove alone

38.7%

Carpooled

5.6%

Bicycled

4.3%

Walked Moped/scooter/motorcycle

3.8% 1.8%

Teleworked

0.8%

Vanpooled

0.5% 3

Geographic Comparison Downtown Denver commuters reported significantly higher transit and biking use than the city of Denver, the metro area and the United States as a whole. Downtown Denver commuters are almost seven times as likely as city of Denver commuters to use transit. Additionally, Downtown Denver commuters drive alone, walk, carpool and telework less than commuters in other areas.

Figure 2: Geographic Mode Split Comparison Source: 2012 Downtown Commuter Survey and 2011 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates Downtown Denver

City of Denver

Denver-Aurora-Broomfield Metro Area

United States

44.6% 6.5% 4.3% 5.0%

Used transit

38.7% 70.4%

Drove alone

76.9% 76.4% 5.6% 9.3% 9.0% 9.7%

Carpooled

Bicycled

4.3% 2.4% 0.9% 0.6%

Walked

3.8% 4.6% 2.1% 2.8%

Downtown Denver commuters are almost seven times as likely as city of Denver commuters to use transit

0.8%

Teleworked

5.6% 5.9% 4.3%

Alternative Modes Results of the Survey highlight the strong use of alternative modes by Downtown Denver employees, with only 38.7% of commuters driving alone to work. While these single-occupancy vehicles are certainly a significant portion of the Downtown Denver commuting population, the majority of commuters use modes other than driving alone. The 2007 Downtown Area Plan places a large focus on improving the transportation options to, from and within Downtown Denver to lessen the environmental and economic impacts of congestion.

Characteristics of the Sample The average one-way commute for respondents was 14.14 miles, with 24% having a commute of 5 miles or less. Respondents commute to Downtown Denver from 152 different home zip codes. The top zip codes were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

80203 (Capitol Hill/Uptown) 80211 (Highland) 80210 (Wash Park/DU) 80123 (Littleton) 80218 (Cheesman Park/City Park West)

6. 80015 (Aurora) 7. 80202 (Downtown Denver) 8. 80220 (Montclair/South Park Hill/Hilltop) 9. 80013 (Aurora) 10. 80206 (City Park/Congress Park/Cherry Creek)

The majority (69%) of survey respondents work in the Commercial Core neighborhood. Offices of 12% of respondents are located in Central Platte Valley (CPV) Commons neighborhood and another 12% work in the Cultural Core neighborhood. The remaining Downtown Denver neighborhoods contain smaller numbers of commuters. See page 13 for a map of Downtown Denver neighborhoods. Twenty-five percent of respondents work in the Financial Services industry and almost 20% work in the Professional and Business Services industry. Almost 90% of respondents are under the age of 60 and 56% are female. Table 2: Industry of Survey Respondents n=3033 Financial Services 25.3% Professional and Business Services 19.7% Leisure and Hospitality 10.5% Government 9.9% Other 9.6% Education and Health Services 9.2% Natural Resources and Construction 7.9% Manufacturing 4.5% Information 1.8% Transportation, Warehousing, Utilities 1.5% Wholesale and Retail Trade 0.3%

Figure 3: Age of Survey Respondents n=3020

30-39 28%

40-49 24%

50-59 22% Under 30 17% Over 69 1%

60-69 8%

2012 was the first year DDP asked survey respondents for demographic information, which allowed researchers to compare demographics of survey respondents with the demographics of Downtown Denver’s employee population. The top four industries of survey respondents match the top four industries reported by both the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the U.S. Census Bureau’s Longitudinal EmployerHousehold Dynamics (LEHD) program. Additionally, the age breakdown of survey respondents closely follows the age breakdown reported by the LEHD program. However, the gender of survey respondents (56.0% female, 44.0% male) does not match the gender of Downtown Denver workers as a whole (48.2% female, 51.8% male; source: LEHD). 5

Access to Employer-Provided Transportation Benefits Employers often provide transportation benefits and services to employees. The most commonly provided benefit is a transit pass. Over 80% of Downtown Denver commuters receive a partially or fully subsidized transit pass from their employers (a 53% increase from 2011) and 27% receive a partially or fully subsidized parking space. Figure 4: Employer-Provided Transportation Benefits n=3065 Transit pass

Yes, fully Yes, partially No

Parking space Bicycle parking B-Cycle membership or usage fees

Not Sure

Carshare membership or usage fees 0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Further, many offices have a designated person to help employees with commuting and transportation questions. While 58% of survey respondents indicated they know about this transportation resource, over 30% indicated they were not sure if their office had someone on staff to help answer transportation-related questions. COMMUTER SURVEY 2012 MAJOR FINDINGS — IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS The Survey allows DDP researchers to explore differences between groups of commuters. Survey results showed that many factors influenced commuters’ mode choice. This report will explore five key findings of the Survey: 

Employer-provided transportation benefits, such as providing a parking spot or transit pass, have a significant impact on employees’ commuting habits. Employees who receive a parking spot are more likely to drive to work and less likely to use transit than the commuting population as a whole.



Office neighborhood location affects employees’ commuting choices. For example, those who work in the Cultural Core neighborhood are more likely to bike, carpool and walk, and less likely to use transit than Downtown Denver commuters overall, while CPV Commons commuters are less likely to drive and more likely to use transit.



Commutes under five miles present more viable opportunities to bike and walk. However, while commuters with short commutes are more likely to bike and walk, 33% still drive alone to work.



IMPACT OF EMPLOYER-PROVIDED TRANSPORTATION BENEFITS Downtown Denver employers often provide their employees with transportation-related benefits such as parking, bike storage or a transit pass. Results of the Survey show that employees are more likely to use a certain transportation mode for their commute if their employer provides a related benefit: 

If employees receive subsidized parking from their employer, they are 49% more likely to drive to work and 36% less likely to use transit than the commuting population as a whole.  If employees receive subsidized bike parking or a B-cycle membership from their employer, they are 44% more likely to bike to work than the commuting population as a whole.  If employees receive a subsidized transit pass from their employer, they are 8% more likely to use transit to travel to work than the commuting population as a whole.

Figure 5: Commuters with Parking Space Provided by Employer 70.0% 60.0% 50.0% 40.0% 30.0% 20.0% 10.0% 0.0%

All respondents (n=3077) Parking benefit provided (n=2983) Drove Alone Used Transit

The Survey also asked respondents how highly they valued various transportation-related benefits. The most valued benefit was a transit pass, with 68% of respondents saying a transit pass is a very valuable benefit. The value of a parking space is significantly lower; 55% of respondents believe a parking space is very valuable. Flexible hours and telework options are the other two most valued benefits.

Figure 6: Value of Transportation-Related Benefits n=varies

Least Valued Benefits

Transit Pass Flexible Work Hours Most Parking Space Valued Telework Options Benefits Secure Bike Parking Preferred Parking for Car/ Vanpools B-cycle Membership/Usage Fees Paid Bicycle Parking Carshare Membership/Usage Fees

Very Valuable Valuable Somewhat Valuable Not Valuable or of Interest 0%

20%

40%

60%



NEXT STEPS

Research how and why employers decide to offer certain transportation benefits.  Help employers understand the most valued transportation benefits.  Continue to educate Downtown businesses and employees about transportation options. 7

IMPACT OF NEIGHBORHOOD For the 2012 Survey, DDP used work addresses to determine the office neighborhood of respondents, according to the 2007 Downtown Area Plan (see map on page 13). The majority (69%) of survey respondents work in the Commercial Core area. Twelve percent of respondents reported working in the Central Platte Valley (CPV) Commons and Cultural Core neighborhoods, and the remaining Downtown Denver neighborhoods had smaller numbers of respondents. The commuting habits of Commercial Core employees were representative of the Survey as a whole because workers in this neighborhood are such a large percentage of survey respondents. However, for the other top neighborhoods, CPV Commons and Cultural Core, the survey revealed interesting trends. Figure 7: Cultural Core vs. All Commuters

Cultural Core commuters (n=353) Workers in the Cultural Core neighborhood are...  101% more likely to bike  49% more likely to carpool  42% more likely to walk and  16% less likely to use transit than commuters as a whole.

50%

Average for all commuters (n=3077) 44. 3% 37.1%

40% 30% 20% 10%

8.5%

8.2% 4.2%

5.5%

Bicy cled

Carpooled

5.4% 3.8%

0% Used transit

Walked

Figure 8: CPV Commons vs. All Commuters CPV Commons commuters (n=354) Workers in the CPV Commons neighborhood are...  10% less likely to drive alone and  8% more likely to use transit than commuters as a whole.

47.7%

50% 40%

Average for all commuters (n=3077)

34.7%

44.3%

38.4%

30% 20% 10% 0% Drove alone

Used transit



NEXT STEPS

Research reasons behind the travel habits of Cultural Core commuters.  Conduct specific outreach to employees and employers in the Cultural Core.  Target more employees outside of the Commercial Core neighborhood for the 2013 survey. 8

IMPACT OF AGE and THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION The millennial generation is moving to Denver in record numbers. Research indicates that these 25-35 year olds are looking to live and work in walkable and bikeable communities and are owning fewer cars (DDP, 2012). Results from the Survey continue to reflect these preferences.      

The average commute for respondents under 30 is 10.5 miles, while the average commute for those over 30 is 16.0 miles. Of those who have a commute of five or fewer miles, 65% are under 40. Commuters under 30 are almost two and a half times as likely to walk to work than commuters as a whole. Commuters under 30 are 88% more likely to bike to work than commuters as a whole. Nineteen percent of commuters under 30 are either annual B-Cycle members or have used the system, while only nine percent of commuters over 30 have used B-Cycle. When coming to Downtown Denver outside of their regular commute, respondents under 30 are almost five times as likely to bike or walk than respondents over 30.

The impact of age on transportation mode choice is also seen in commuters over 30. As commuters get older, they are more likely to use transit, but less likely to bike and walk to work. Driving alone peaks when commuters are in their 30s and 40s and declines as commuters get older.

Figure 9: Impact of Age on Mode Choice n=3020

70% Used transit

60%

Drove alone 50%

Walked

40%

Bicycled Carpooled

30% *Graph excludes Vanpooled, Did not work today, and Drove moped/ scooter/motorcycle

20% 10% 0% Under 30

30-39

40-49

50-59

60-69

Over 69



NEXT STEPS

Research young commuters through a targeted focus group.  Continue to work on improving walkability and bikeability in Downtown Denver.  Embrace older commuters using transit and ensure transit is prepared for their needs. 9

LOOKING AT SHORT COMMUTES While the average one-way commute for respondents was 14.14 miles, 24% have a commute of 5 miles or less. Of these short distance commuters, 30% walk or bike to work. However, 33% still drive alone. Because the average bike commute for survey respondents is 4 miles and the average walking commute is 1.5 miles, encouraging more biking and walking for short commutes can reduce those who drive alone to work. Further, studies show that biking and/or walking to work provides significant health benefits to commuters (GordonLarsen, P., et al., 2009). Figure 10: Short Distance Commuters vs. All Commuters

302% increase

Walked

244% increase

Bicycled Moped/scooter/motorcycle Teleworked

52% decrease

Used transit

Carpooled

43% decrease 12% decrease

Drove alone Vanpooled

Commute under 5 miles (n=745)

110% increase

All commuters (n=3077)

10% increase 6% increase

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Bicycling in Downtown Denver  Bike commuters have an average commute of 4 miles.  Men are over twice as likely to bike to work as women, with only 2.7% of women commuting by bike compared to 6.3% of men.  Commuting by bike decreased from 5.8% in the 2011 Survey to 4.3% in the 2012 Survey, however non-work trips to Downtown Denver by bike doubled from 2011 to 2012. A potential reason for the drop in bike commuting is the fact that more women took the 2012 Survey than men.  10% of all open-ended survey responses contained feedback about the lack of safe bike lanes into Downtown Denver, lack of safe bike parking, and/or other concerns about biking to work. Walking in Downtown Denver  Walking commuters have an average commute of 1.5 miles.  The percentage of commuters who walk to work remained steady from 2011 to 2012  42% of walking commuters are under 30 and 51% are female.  Commuters are more likely to walk to offices in the Cultural Core or CPV Commons neighborhoods and less likely to walk to offices located in Auraria or the Commercial Core neighborhoods.  Unsurprisingly, walkers value parking benefits less highly than commuters as a whole, with only 20% indicating they would find an employer-provided parking space very valuable. 

NEXT STEPS

Advocate for the improvement and expansion of bike lanes in and around Downtown.  Work with organizations like BikeDenver to support female bike commuters.  Encourage employers to provide showers and bike storage. 10

THE UNIQUE COMMUTING HABITS OF WEEKEND AND HOSPITALITY COMMUTERS Weekend commuters have different patterns and needs than weekday commuters. Weekend commuters are much more likely to drive alone and less likely to use transit than weekday commuters. Survey results showed a 55% decrease in transit use among weekend commuters.

Figure 11: Weekend vs. Weekday Commuters Drove alone Used transit Saturday & Sunday (n=4271)

Walked Teleworked Bicycled

Monday-Friday (n=15332)

Carpooled Moped/scooter/motorcycle Vanpooled 0%

20%

40%

60%

Leisure and Hospitality Commuters Weekend commuters are likely to be in the Leisure and Hospitality industry, with 40.6% of all weekend commuters working in this industry compared to just 10.5% of all commuters. Leisure and Hospitality workers also have a different mode split than commuters as a whole, no matter what day of the week they work. They are more likely to drive alone and less likely to use transit than commuters in other industries. Leisure and Hospitality employers may have an impact on this trend as they provide parking for employees at a much higher rate than other Downtown Denver employers. Leisure and Hospitality employees are almost twice as likely as commuters as a whole to receive a fully or partially subsidized parking pass from their employers.

Figure 12: Employer-Provided Parking by Industry Leisure and Hospitality (n=318)

All industries (n=3065)

80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% No

Yes, fully or partially



NEXT STEPS

Study weekend commuting in more detail.  Work with the Leisure and Hospitality industry to promote transportation options.  Continue to monitor weekend transportation options, limitations and costs. 11

CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS Lessons learned from the 2012 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey will inform the Downtown Denver Partnership’s efforts to implement the Downtown Area Plan and to support Downtown Denver businesses and employees. DDP will continue to advocate for policies, projects and programs outlined in the Downtown Area Plan, study commuting patterns, and educate employees and employers about commuting options. 2013 will bring a variety of changes impacting Downtown Denver commuters, including RTD’s transition to Smart Cards, the opening of the West Rail Line, improvements to Downtown Denver bicycle facilities, and B-Cycle system expansion. Additionally, the 2013 Survey will be the DDP’s first opportunity to measure commuting habits following the full implementation of the region’s transportation demand management program, Way to Go. DDP looks forward to assisting the Downtown Denver community with these transportation changes. Additionally, the DDP research team is committed to following the action plan set forth in this report to address the five key findings revealed through the 2012 Survey. During 2013, DDP will: 

Research how and why employers decide to offer certain transportation benefits.  Help employers understand the most valued transportation benefits.  Continue to educate Downtown Denver businesses and employees about transportation options.  

Research reasons behind the travel habits of Cultural Core commuters. Conduct specific outreach to employees and employers in the Cultural Core.  Target employees outside of the Commercial Core neighborhood for the 2013 survey. 

Advocate for the improvement and expansion of bike lanes in and around Downtown Denver.  Work with organizations like BikeDenver to support female bike commuters.  Encourage employers to provide showers and bike storage.  

Study weekend commuting in more detail. Work with the Leisure and Hospitality industry to promote transportation options.  Continue to monitor weekend transportation options, limitations and costs. ABOUT THIS REPORT The Downtown Denver Commuter Survey report is created by the Downtown Denver Research Department. Staff contributors and editors include: Emily Brett, Aylene McCallum, John Desmond and Jim Kirchheimer. Questions concerning the report, including requests to participate in the 2013 survey, should be directed to Emily Brett at ebrett@downtowndenver.com or 303-571-8216. DDP will provide customized reports to companies with significant participation in the 2013 survey. Unless otherwise noted, the source of the data in this report is the 2012 Downtown Denver Commuter Survey.

APPENDIX A Methodology In September 2012, DDP staff distributed the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey through e-newsletters such as the DDP Member Advisory, Urban Eye, Skylines and The Connector; social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter; and through direct emails to top Downtown Denver employers requesting they forward the Survey to their Downtown Denver employees. With the Downtown Denver employee population estimated at 115,732 employees (as of November 2012), DDP set out to receive at least 2,315 (2%) valid responses to the Survey. Researchers at DDP received 3,407 completed surveys. Of these completed surveys, 3,097 were valid responses, representing 2.7% of the Downtown Denver employee population. DDP declares a survey valid if the respondent works 20 or more hours per week in Downtown Denver, as defined by the 2007 Downtown Area Plan (DAP). The DAP includes the following neighborhoods: Auraria, Arapahoe Square, Ballpark, Central Platte Valley (Auraria, Commons and Prospect), Cultural Core, Golden Triangle, and LoDo. While the zip code 80202 covers much of central Downtown Denver, other zip codes are also included in the boundaries of the DAP. Thus, DDP conducted a detailed check of respondents’ work addresses to determine if the survey was a valid response. Conditions

Figure 13: Map of Downtown neighborhoods, 2007 Downtown Area Plan

Respondents completed the Survey from September 5th – October 10th, 2012. The weather during this time period was average. Of the 36 days the Survey was open, there were 9 days of precipitation totaling 2.53 inches. The average high during the time period was 71° and the average low was 45°, roughly the same as the historical average high and low for this time period of 75° and 41°. The highest recorded temperature during this survey was 89° and the lowest recorded temperature was 25° (source: weather.com and wunderground.com). 13

The average price for regular gasoline in Denver during the time period respondents completed the survey was $3.67 per gallon, slightly lower than the United States average of $3.77 (source: www.eia.gov).

Dollars per gallon

Figure 14: Weekly Regular Conventional Retail Gasoline Prices $3.90 $3.85 $3.80 $3.75 $3.70 $3.65 $3.60 $3.55 $3.50 $3.45 $3.40 $3.35

UNITED STATES DENVER

09/03

09/10

09/17

09/24 10/01 Week ending

10/08

10/15

Limitations While the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey aims to be as objective, reliable and valid as possible, it is not a scientific survey. Limitations include the issue of self-reporting, reliance on only an online survey and the challenge to reach a representative sample of Downtown Denver employees from a variety of organizations. Because the Survey is not a scientific sample of Downtown Denver employees, year-to-year fluctuations may be due to a variety of factors including more aggressive outreach by certain employers or advocacy groups, weather, holidays or various other external events. Despite these limitations, the Downtown Denver Commuter Survey succeeds in receiving a broad representation of industries and employers. While this survey is not fully generalizable to the commuting population as a whole, survey respondents are roughly representative of Downtown Denver. For the first time in 2012, DDP asked survey respondents for demographic information, which allowed researchers to compare demographics of survey respondents with the demographics of Downtown’s employee population. The top four industries of survey respondents match the top four industries reported by both the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment and the U.S. Census Bureau’s Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD) program. Additionally, the age breakdown of survey respondents closely follows the age breakdown reported by the LEHD program. However, the gender of survey respondents (56.0% female, 44.0% male) does not match the gender of Downtown Denver workers as a whole (48.2% female, 51.8% male; source: LEHD). Because gender influences commuting habits, this is a significant limitation of the 2012 commuter survey. The Downtown Denver Partnership will explore ways to improve survey generalizability for the 2013 Survey.

Visit www.DowntownDenver.com for full survey results 14

511 16th Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202 • 303-534-6161 • www.DowntownDenver.com