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.

Affordable transportation is a critical pillar in the fight against poverty because it addresses the "spatial mismatch" between where low-income individuals live and where high-quality jobs are located. When public transit is too expensive or inaccessible, it effectively traps people in "transportation deserts," limiting their employment options to low-wage, local positions and preventing them from accessing vocational training or higher education. Research shows that families in underdeveloped transit areas can spend up to 25% of their income just on commuting, which siphons away funds needed for housing, nutrition, and healthcare. Furthermore, reliable transportation ensures access to essential services like preventative medical care and affordable grocery stores in "food deserts," which improves overall health and economic resilience. By lowering the "cost of movement," cities can expand the potential labor market for the poor, allowing them to compete for higher-paying jobs and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty through increased physical and economic mobility.