Commute Seattle’s mission and work has changed a lot over time. When we were founded, our goal was to encourage 3 out of 4 people who commute to Downtown Seattle to walk, bike, telework, or take the bus. Seattle achieved that goal in 2017.
Today, Commute Seattle is the non-profit that makes it easy to walk, bike, ride, and roll for the more than 600,000 people who go to work or school in Seattle everyday. Our mission is to make Seattle more affordable, sustainable, and connected.
To do this, we go beyond downtown, working with businesses and organizations of all sizes in neighborhoods across the city. And we go beyond the commute, working on the everyday trips you take to healthcare, groceries, schools, and childcare.
What does this look like in practice?
Commute Seattle still does the traditional Commute Trip Reduction work that many know us for. We just wrapped up two years of this work, and renewed our partnership with the Seattle Department of Transportation for two more years.
But we do more than just working with large employers to reduce commute trips. Our staff supports the small businesses that make Seattle unique, helping retailers and restaurants get transit passes into the hands of workers who have been less likely to receive these benefits in the past. Small businesses like Elliott Bay Book Company are great examples of the impact this work has everyday in Seattle.
We still conduct surveys, like the old Center City Modesplit Survey. Last year, we relaunched this work as the 2022 Seattle Commute Survey, which asked 64,000 people about their travel habits. With more than 1 in 10 Seattle commuters responding, we captured valuable insights at a unique moment for Seattle. For the first time ever, we also asked about the everyday trips you take to groceries, healthcare, childcare, and school.
This data allows us to dive deeper, sharing ongoing insights into the travel trends that shape our region. We believe that this level of analysis will help employers, property managers, and governments make more informed transportation decisions.
Using this data, our connections with employers, and the expertise of our team, we also advise governments, elected officials, and other decision makers on the key transportation questions facing Seattle today.
Live more, drive less.
When we work together, Seattle moves. Learn how Commute Seattle can partner with you to help Seattle live more, and drive less.
