In 2024, Halifax's transportation landscape is dominated by car usage, with over half of the population commuting by car. Public transportation, particularly buses, plays a significant role, while walking remains a popular choice for short distances.

Average Commute Times

The average commute involves 2.61 minutes waiting, 13.96 minutes driving, and covers a distance of 16.52 km.
  • Bus - Bus commuters spend approximately 8.69 minutes waiting and 29.77 minutes on the bus, covering 12.98 km.
  • Car - Car users experience a driving time of 23.59 minutes with minimal walking, covering 17.44 km.
  • Walking - Walking commutes average 15.8 minutes with an additional 7 minutes on the bus, covering 3.54 km.
Traffic Breakdown
Car
57%
Bus
25%
Walking
10%
Home
4%
Bicycle
2%
Motorcycle
2%
Seasonal Trends

Winter months see increased car usage due to harsh weather conditions, impacting public transport reliability. Summer brings more tourists, leading to higher traffic volumes in downtown areas.

Commuter Pain Points

Long wait times for buses during peak hours frustrate commuters. Limited cycling lanes and pedestrian paths restrict non-motorized transport options.

Best Travel Times

Early mornings before 7 AM and late evenings after 7 PM are ideal for avoiding traffic congestion. Midday travel is generally smoother, with fewer delays on public transport.

Event Impacts

Public events at the Halifax Convention Centre significantly increase downtown traffic. Sporting events at Scotiabank Centre lead to temporary road closures and detours.

Sustainability Efforts

Halifax is expanding its bus fleet with electric buses to reduce emissions. The city is promoting carpooling and ride-sharing to decrease individual car usage.

Ride-Sharing Impact

Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft have reduced the need for personal car ownership. These services provide flexible transport options, especially during late-night hours.

Worldwide
Canada

Traffic Rankings

Halifax ranks 11th on the Traffic rankings in Canada. The Traffic Index for Canada combines user-contributed data on commute times, traffic dissatisfaction, CO2 emissions, and traffic system inefficiencies in Canada, to provide insights into overall traffic conditions.

Worst to BestUpdated: Dec, 2024
Full Traffic Rankings

Traffic Data

The following traffic data has been gathered from 51 user contributions.
Overall average travel
Distance
10.3 miles
Walking
3.2 mins
Waiting
2.6 mins
Driving Car
14.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
8.6 mins
Bicycle
0.1 mins
Motorcycle
1.6 mins
Other
1.2 mins
Total:
31.4 mins
Average when primarily using Bus
Distance
8.1 miles
Walking
4.1 mins
Waiting
8.7 mins
Bus / Trolley
29.8 mins
Other
4.6 mins
Total:
47.2 mins
Average when primarily using Car
Distance
10.8 miles
Walking
0.5 mins
Driving Car
23.6 mins
Total:
24.1 mins
Average when primarily using Walking
Distance
2.2 miles
Walking
15.8 mins
Waiting
3.0 mins
Bus / Trolley
7.0 mins
Total:
25.8 mins
Halifax Traffic

"Key Takeaways"

Car usage is predominant, but increasing public transport options could reduce traffic congestion.

Investing in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure can provide sustainable alternatives to car travel.

Key Indexes

Emissions

Halifax's CO2 emissions index is 4343.35, indicating a moderate environmental impact from transportation.

Efforts to reduce emissions could focus on increasing public transport and cycling infrastructure.

Time

The average time index is 31.38, reflecting typical commute durations in the city.

Traffic delays are most pronounced during peak hours, suggesting potential benefits from staggered work hours.

Inefficiency

The inefficiency index stands at 164.11, highlighting areas for improvement in traffic flow and public transport efficiency.

Enhancing bus routes and reducing car dependency could alleviate inefficiencies.