Reason In the News

Polling Americans on Transportation

Erie Times-News

January 1, 2012

In the Erie Times-News, Jim Martin writes:

We drive alone, most of us traveling 11 to 20 minutes to get to a job that's less than five miles away.

That's just part of the portrait that emerges from a recent Reason-Rupe Survey on transportation conducted on behalf of Reason magazine.

What emerges from that survey, conducted via phone interviews in early December of adults from all 50 states, is a portrait of a nation that sees travel becoming more difficult and skeptical that the situation will improve.

In fact, just 12 percent of those who responded believe traffic congestion will improve, while 54 percent think it will get worse.

Telecommuting, which many expected to be the new reality in a Wi-Fi world, remains the exception to the rule. Just 4 percent of us work from home.

Like those able to work in their pajamas, U.S. residents who take public transportation to work represent a very small piece of the pie. Just 6 percent of us take a bus, train or ferry to work each day. More than 80 percent of us rarely or never take public transportation.

That's not to suggest this business of driving alone is always a pleasant experience.

Full story here.

The Reason-Rupe transportation poll is here.