What percentage of Americans use public transport?
Nationally, a 2016 Pew Research Center survey found that 11 percent of Americans take public transportation at least weekly, and 21 percent of urban residents use it regularly.
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The United States is serviced by a wide array of public transportation, including various forms of bus, rail, ferry, and sometimes, airline services. Most established public transit systems are located in central, urban areas where there is enough density and public demand to require public transportation.
In 2019, persons in employment in the EU had an average commuting time of 25 minutes. Employed persons in Latvia had the longest commuting time with 33 minutes, followed by Hungary and Luxembourg (both 29 minutes). The United Kingdom also recorded a long average commuting time (30 minutes).
A 2019 report on public transportation found that 7.8 million people, or about 5% of all U.S. workers, relied on public transit to commute to their workplace. (U.S. Census) An estimated 2.6% of U.S. workers walked to work in 2019. Fewer workers (less than 1%) commuted to work via bicycle.
Europe's public-transit systems are so good that many urban Europeans go through life never learning to drive. Their wheels are trains, subways, trams, buses, and the occasional taxi. If you embrace these forms of transportation when visiting cities, you'll travel smarter.
Public transport in Hong Kong routinely ranks high among the best in the world, and for good reason. The network is extensive, to say the least, and the city is proud of the fact that 75 percent of the population lives within one kilometre of a metro station – that's less than 15 minutes' walk.
Not only is the New York City public transportation system the most extensive in the country, but it's also one of the few that operates all night long. Both subway trains and bus services run 24/7.
According to the National Transit Database, as of 2020 nearly 25% of all transit stations in the U.S. were not accessible. A significant but unknown number of roadways and sidewalks remain inaccessible due to the lack of curb cuts and other features. Our streets must be safe for everyone, regardless of age or ability.
Save Money. A household can save an average of $10,000 annually by taking public transit. Owning a car costs between $6,000 and $12,000 a year — it's not cheap. If we keep fares affordable, more people have access to the transportation they need.
Public transit is a vital force for the American economy. The American Public Transportation Association estimates that 87% of trips directly benefit the local economy, with $1 invested in public transit believed to generate $5 in economic returns.
Public transport in Tallinn has been free since 2013; a political decision taken to help ease the cost-of-living for citizens. Environmental motivations were secondary, but as more and more places seek to decarbonise in this way, the European pioneer has become an unexpected trailblazer.
And after being crowned European Green Capital 2023, Tallinn is far from resting on its laurels so far as clean transport and other aspects of urban life go. Here's what it's making possible. Europe's richest country made public transport free: Could other countries do the same?