Fuel costs, road conditions among biggest concerns for drivers

A new survey found that road conditions and the cost of fuel are major concerns for Canadian drivers.

There are lots of frustrations that can come with driving.

According to a new survey by Narrative Research, the main concern when it comes to transportation in Canada is the cost of fuel.

The next biggest issues were road conditions, followed by traffic safety concerns, traffic congestion and commute times, and environmental impacts.

“They’re also concerned with things like the availability and reliability of public transit. So, even though only 12 per cent of the population regularly and primarily uses public transit, half of people said they’re concerned with those issues related to public transit,” said Narrative Research COO Margaret Chapman.

“That tells me that there’s some people out there who aren’t using public transit, are concerned about it, and maybe it’s the reason that they’re not using public transit.”

The survey also looked at how people are travelling. Nearly half primarily drive a vehicle to get around, while more than one in 10 use a combination of methods, for instance driving, transit and walking.

“Only three per cent of the population are commuting or primarily travelling in a carpool, so not very much carsharing that’s going on,” said Chapman.

She noted about 10 per cent almost exclusively walk, while just two per cent of people primarily travel by bike.

“People are going to use the method of transportation that works best for them, so cost-wise, convenience-wise, timewise.”

According to Narrative Research, the survey results are generally consistent across the country and across all demographics, however those in Atlantic Canada were slightly less concerned with traffic congestion and commute times compared with the rest of the country.

The survey was conducted by Narrative Research and the Logit Group between Aug. 12 and Aug. 13 among 1,231 Canadian adults.