Two major reports on transit in the United States were released this morning. Below are some of the major takeaways.
The American Public Transit Association released a report titled, “Millennials and Mobility: Understanding the Millennial Mindset,” in which it investigated the travelling trends of those Americans born between 1982 and 2003. Meanwhile, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group released “A New Way to Go,” examining how smartphone technologies are revolutionizing transportation options for Americans.
The APTA report, sought to establish the “implications for public transportation in the United States” of the changing habits of a new generation.
Among some of the more interesting findings:
- Affordability, reliability, environmental friendliness and ability to work/socialize while traveling were cited by millennials as some of the top benefits of public transit.
- The biggest complaint with public transit was a lack of personal space.
- “Millennials who are parents were more likely to have bought a car, but only slightly more likely to have moved to suburbs than non-parents.”
Two quotes that sum up this report pretty well:
- “My generation is more willing to use public transit and alternative transportation to have less effect on the environment, save money, and to be more engaged with their community.”
- “We are more aware of how our actions impact the larger community. We live in an increasingly urban world where more people are choosing to live in cities and forgo the suburban lifestyle.”
The PIRG report looked at ways in which the technological revolution is affecting transportation in the US. Some quick takeaways:
- “Transportation is the second-largest household expenditure, after only housing, and ahead of food, clothing, education and health care.”
- New York City’s bikeshare system has 71,760 annual members as of August 16 this year. The program was only launched in May.
- The arrival of real-time apps is quickly replacing maps and timetables, while smart cards replace tokens and passes. These elements of public transit were traditionally seen as barriers to broader use of public transit.
- Among the report’s policy recommendations was the use of federal funding for bikeshare programs and transit app development
Your trusted transit blogger’s app recommendation: HopStop.