Solano commuters an educated bunch

Solano commuters an educated bunch
BY RICHARD BAMMER/ RBAMMER@THEREPORTER.COM
Posted: 07/23/2009 01:01:00 AM PDT


If you are a commuter, riding a bus, the Baylink Ferry, Amtrak or BART train and surrounded by people from Solano County, then you are in educated company.
More than 27 percent of area residents, or more than one in four, who commute to work outside Solano County have at least a bachelor's degree, according to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Only San Francisco and Alameda counties have more commuters who earned a bachelor's or graduate degrees, said Michael Ammann, president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation.

"The data says that Solano County contributes to the educated workforce that is driving the economic engine of neighboring counties within the northeast Bay," he said in a press release.

In a telephone interview Wednesday, Ammann said there is anecdotal evidence to support the federal agency's findings, culled from a 2006 report, "American Community Survey." The study indicated that some 19,000 of Solano's 75,000 out-of-county commuters earned bachelor's or graduate degrees.

"If I take the ferry in, if I have to go to a morning meeting in The City, I see people who are reading their newspapers and talking intelligently," he said, surmising the educational levels of some of those commuters.

Likewise, citing his experience taking the Capital Corridor train from Solano County to Sacramento, he noted the Amtrak commuter rail service provides wireless Internet service, prompting commuters to work on their laptops early in the morning or late in the day.

Most importantly, he added, is that Bay Area employers "need to know that Solano has an educated, tech-savvy labor force looking for job opportunities in Solano and business-friendly Solano communities welcome new employers. Our saying is, 'Plant Your Business in Solano' and grow your business with our highly qualified workforce." The EDC's mission is to attract, encourage and retain business and industry in Solano County.

Ammann predicted that Bay Area businesses will reduce their workers' "carbon footprint" by moving to Solano County, resulting in more high-paying jobs in the future. He cited growth in the biotech industry, expansion by food and beverage firms and other specialized manufacturing clusters -- paired with available land for industrial and business parks that is "shovel-ready" -- as reasons why Solano will experience growth in the future.

Daryl Halls, executive director of the Solano Transportation Authority, agreed with Ammann's statements.

"This is a strong opportunity for local employers to capture employees," he said. "It would be nice to have a shorter commute and work closer to where you live."