Skip to main content

2018 Census 2018 Census

A key way Auckland Transport (AT) can understand how Aucklanders travel is through the Census.

Auckland's travel trends

The Census, which is run every five years, is the official count of the number of people and dwellings in New Zealand. It requires everybody to accurately complete a set of questions about themselves and their household, helping create a snapshot of those who live in or are visiting New Zealand.

Journey to Work (JTW) and Journey to Education (JTE) are two key components of travel patterns within the Auckland region, accounting for much of the movement during peak times.

In 2018, information for over a million trips in Auckland was recorded - 750,000 for JTW and 325,000 for JTE (on a typical day). This provides an opportunity for AT to examine a detailed picture of travel within the Auckland region.

Overall mode share for journeys to work and education

Infographic showing the percentages of different mode shares

  • 51.6% - drove a car, truck or van.
  • 14% - passenger in a car, truck, van or company bus.
  • 10.8% - public bus.
  • 9.2% - walked or jogged.
  • 8.2% - worked or studied at home.
  • 3.2% - train.
  • 1.2% - other.
  • 1.2% - cycled.
  • 0.6% - ferry.

The Census was undertaken before the onset of COVID-19. The changes in journey patterns are still evolving, in particular an increase in working from home.

Key findings from the 2018 Census

Some of the key findings from the 2018 Census include:

  • continued high car share with the highest car use in the Outer Urban area,
  • increased public transport uptake,
  • increasing walking and cycling in Central areas,
  • student mode share varies significantly by age group.

Download more detailed information about these findings:

References

Data and information collected from: