New research stresses the importance of socioeconomic differences in U.S. transportation trends.

Research published by the Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment reveals mobility trends in the United States that indicate a growing transportation gap to coincide with the nation’s growing wealth in equality.
The study, authored by Xize Wang from the National University of Singapore and John L. Renne from Florida Atlantic University, used data from the 2017 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) to compare urban travel trends to previous surveys.
“The most noticeable trend for the 2017 NHTS is that although private automobiles continue to be the dominant travel mode in American cities, the share of car trips has slightly and steadily decreased since its peak in 2001,” according to the abstract from the study. “In contrast, the share of transit, non-motorized, and taxicab (including ride-hailing) trips has steadily increased.”
An article by Matthew Rozsa for Salon draws an angle unavailable in the study’s abstract from the conclusions of the study: “one's ability to access a car depends on many factors beyond a person's control,” writes Rozsa. “Foremost among them? Wealth.”
Renne is quoted in the article explaining that low-income residents of the United States are increasingly “cut off from job opportunities, schools, and other services” in locations without high quality transit service and safe walking and biking facilities.
“In addition to worsening income inequality, the American transportation gap has widened due to factors unique in the history of the early 21st century — in particular, the onset of the Great Recession in 2008 and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which exacerbated economic hardships,” writes Rozsa.
FULL STORY: As wealth inequality spirals out of control, many Americans can no longer afford to drive

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate
The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.

Trump Cuts Decimate Mapping Agency
The National Geodetic Survey maintains and updates critical spatial reference systems used extensively in both the public and private sectors.

Washington Passes First US ‘Shared Streets’ Law
Cities will be allowed to lower speed limits to 10 miles per hour and prioritize pedestrians on certain streets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions