A recent study claimed that transit ridership had reached the highest levels seen in 57 years. Wendell Cox, however, argues that the narrative about a “fundamental shift” in the transportation paradigm is a misrepresentation of the truth.
Noted dissenter Wendell Cox has responded to the recent report released by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which claimed that a record 10.7 billion trips were taken on transit in the country.
Cox argues that the APTA’s presentation of its findings distort the whole truth about American transportation. Some of the arguments Cox employs to push back on the APTA’s claims:
- “Judgments about fundamental shifts and consumer choice today are not more reliable than they would have been in the Great Depression year of 1935.”
- “APTA is right to point out that transit ridership has grown faster than vehicle travel in the United States since 1995. Nonetheless, transit's share of urban travel has barely budged, because its 1995 share of travel was so small.”
- “Indeed, transit has not taken a single net automobile off the road since 1960, and not in the last five years.”
Cox also examines other data points about working from home and carpooling, as well as cities like Atlanta and Portland—both of which have actually decreased their transit ridership share.
FULL STORY: No Fundamental Shift to Transit: Not Even a Shift
Increases in Transit Ridership Overthrowing Assumptions About Why We Ride
A recent report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) shows transit ridership increasing to historic levels. The surprise is that the increase occurs as gas prices have fallen.
Employers Going Beyond Requirements for Commute Alternatives
Employers in the Seattle area are outpacing City Hall in providing incentives to employees not to drive to work in single occupancy cars. A state law even requires companies with 100 or more commuters to provide alternative commuting plans.
L.A. Transit Surpasses 1M Weekday Riders for First Time Since Pandemic
Rail and bus ridership in the Los Angeles metropolitan area is recovering at a faster rate than the national average.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Wind Energy on the Rise Despite Federal Policy Reversal
The Trump administration is revoking federal support for renewable energy, but demand for new projects continues unabated.
Passengers Flock to Caltrain After Electrification
The new electric trains are running faster and more reliably, leading to strong ridership growth on the Bay Area rail system.
Texas Churches Rally Behind ‘Yes in God’s Back Yard’ Legislation
Religious leaders want the state to reduce zoning regulations to streamline leasing church-owned land to housing developers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service