Report: Transportation Equity Requires More Than Electrification

A new report from the Transportation Energy Institute suggests that an equitable approach to transportation must include more than just a shift to electric cars. “The report also notes that lower-income communities often face multiple transportation-related environmental issues, such as proximity to highways and industrial pollution.”

As Dan Zukowski explains in Smart Cities Dive, “Access to electric vehicle charging equipment and the high cost of EVs limits low-income households’ ability to take advantage of these lower-emission vehicles, the paper says, and many depend on conventionally fueled vehicles.” Thus, lower-income communities need investment in public transit and other mobility options that can reduce their transportation costs and offer more sustainable options.

“Direct, meaningful engagement with such communities enables residents to have a say in the transportation policies and projects that could address their specific needs, [the report] says.” The report provides a set of questions that policymakers can use to better understand their communities’ needs and bridge gaps in access to transportation.