More ways to travel
Find out how you can avoid a trip, or travel using a method, time or route that will lessen the impact of your travel.
You’re not stuck in traffic – you are traffic! It’s no fun being held up on a congested road and it’s not great for the environment either. So here are some pointers that may help you with your travel planning.
Can the trip be avoided?
Perhaps the service you are seeking is available online, or maybe Telework is an alternative to travelling to work on some days at your workplace. While at work, consider if you can use video or teleconferences to avoid an off-site meeting.
Is there a more efficient way to travel?
Walking can be a good option, especially for trips less than 2km in length, and cycling may be another option for some, especially for trips less than 5km in length. These types of distances can be travelled in about 20 minutes which is usually a pretty comfortable travel time for most people.
Or, you might be able to combine walking and/or cycling with public transport (PT). PT is particularly effective where the journey can be made on a single mode, or with just one change, and where stops are located close to your origin and destination.
If taking the car is the only option, see if you can make the trip with others. Also consider going to a more local shop or service, or doing lots of things in one trip instead of separate trips for everything.
Can you leave at a different time?
Where you can, consider making appointments outside of peak commuter periods. Even for work commuter trips, you may wish to consider flexible working arrangements if these are offered at your workplace, so that you can travel at a time that is efficient for your particular commute. Checking real time travel conditions before leaving is also worthwhile, so you can alter your departure time accordingly.
Can you travel via an alternative route?
Before you travel, make sure you visit our VicTraffic website to view live traffic conditions. VicTraffic can help you identify any incidents that may impact your journey helping you to decide whether to change your route or leave at a different time.
Why not check the weather at Victoria weather (External link) as well? If it looks like rain, you may need to allow more time for your journey. If the weather is fine, it might be nice to walk or ride, particularly if your trip is short.
Department of Transport has all the information you need to use public transport in Victoria, including journey planner, timetables, service disruptions and ticketing information.
If you're in Melbourne, you can find out when your tram is coming via your Android device or iPhone by using real time tram arrival information provided through Yarra Trams’ tramTRACKER application.
The Taxi Services Commission (TSC) regulates the taxi and hire vehicle industries and provides journey, fare and safety information for taxi passengers.
The City of Melbourne manages a Safe City taxi rank scheme designed to ensure people can get home safely late at night. Each rank has a uniformed security officer and is monitored by security cameras. Visit Melbourne Taxi – Safe City Rank (External link).
A similar service operates in the City of Geelong between 1am - 6am Saturday and Sunday mornings with security personnel around to ensure you get home safely. Visit Geelong Taxi – Safe City Ranks (External link).
If you’re in a situation where you don’t always need to use a car, or if you’d like to avoid having a second car, then car sharing may be an option to help you save money and still get from A to B.
The RACV Car Costs website has information on the costs of owning and operating a car, while cost efficient car share options offered by the City of Melbourne are available at the Carshare –Melbourne website (External link)
Powered two wheelers
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Powered two wheeled vehicles, which include motorcycles and scooters, can be an attractive alternative form of transport to the car for daily commuting.
Depending on the choice of vehicle, they can be cheaper to buy and operate than a car, a more efficient way to travel in congested traffic and easier and cheaper to park.
Many motorcycles and scooters produce lower greenhouse gas emissions than cars, but many also emit high levels of other air pollutants. Remember to research the fuel consumption and emission performance of different vehicle options.
For more information about staying safe when riding, please visit our Motorcyclist safety section.