PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND INEQUALITY IN THE U.S

By Stephanie Ramos

Public transportation services in cities are important in many ways. Access to just about everything associated with upward mobility and jobs, quality food, and goods, healthcare, and schooling relies on the ability to get around in an efficient way, and for an affordable price.

Regardless of its importance, U.S public transportation lags behind much of the rest of the world in innovation and ridership. While some cities do have impressive public transportation systems, for the most part the U.S is a car-dependent society.

The 2019 Census data showed that only 5% of all US commuters typically use public transportation. In major cities, that number increases to 10%. This trend has not changed over the last 10 years.

While people of all income levels use public transit, some people depend on it more than others. These riders are often lower-income, minority groups who may not own cars and who rely on transit for access to opportunities like jobs and schools.

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Counties with popular public transit systems are often northern and coastal

The New York area has the largest percentage of people who use public transit to commute to work, followed by counties including major coastal cities like San Fancisco, D.C, and Boston.

Public transportation is less popular in counties including major southern cities.

Riding transit takes much loger than driving

Those taking transportation in areas where service is limited are bound to be in for longer commutes. In counties including major southern cities like Charlotte and Atlanta, the typical transit commute length is double the commute length for drivers. But, counties including major coastal cities with robust transit still show numbers that lag well behind driving.

Note that in areas were public transit is popular, the additional commute length for public transit users is shorter.

Public transit commuters earn less than drivers

Transit riders earn on average less than drivers. This gap in earnings between public transit commuters and drivers suggests that public transportation is less available in wealthier areas or people choose to avoid it if they can afford a vehicle.

Given that the difference in earnings is larger in areas with low transit use, the lack of an adequate public transportation system affects the low-income population disproportionately.

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The wage gap and the difference in commute length between transit riders and drivers is smaller in cities with high percentages of transit commuters.