Buffer/Drive time analysis—ArcGIS for Microsoft 365

The Buffer/Drive time analysis calculates the distance or time between selected locations based on travel mode, time, and distance parameters. The results of this analysis are saved as a layer in the map.

For example, if you are performing a business site selection to add new locations, you can use the Buffer/Drive time analysis to determine the number and locations of competing or complementary businesses within a one-mile radius of the proposed sites.

Analysis types

Note:

Travel modes and routes obey all local and regional traffic laws such as one-way roads, avoiding illegal turns, and following speed limits.

The following Buffer/Drive time analysis types are available:


Analysis type	Description
Ring buffer	Uses a straight-line sphere to create a distance buffer around points.
Driving Time or Driving Distance	Models the movement of cars and other similar small automobiles, such as pickup trucks, and finds solutions that optimize the method of travel time or travel distance.
Rural Driving Time or Rural Driving Distance	Models the movement of cars and other similar small automobiles, such as pickup trucks, and finds solutions that optimize the method of travel time or travel distance, including travel on unpaved roads.
Trucking Time or Trucking Distance	Models basic truck travel by preferring designated truck routes and finds solutions that optimize the method of travel time or travel distance.
Walking Time or Walking Distance	Follows paths and roads that allow pedestrian traffic and finds solutions that optimize the method of travel time or travel distance. The default walking speed is 5 kilometers per hour.