Americans See Public Transit as ‘Backbone’ of Multimodalism

A recent APTA study illuminates public opinion on mobility as a service, autonomous vehicles, and more.

1 minute read

December 22, 2018, 11:00 AM PST

By Elana Eden


Complete Street

Eric Sehr / Flickr

American commuters are open to new mobility options like ride-hailing, bikeshare, e-scooters, and more, but overwhelmingly see public transit as the core support for any multimodal transportation network, according to a new study from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

In the survey, 74 percent of millennials embraced the mobility as a service framework—saying they would use an app to plan and pay for multiple legs of a trip across travel modes and agencies. About 88 percent of millennials also said commute lengths were important to them, suggesting support for transit-oriented development.

Responses from all demographics showed mixed feelings toward autonomous vehicles, leading the study authors to recommend that public transit agencies pioneer adoption of AV technologies in fleets that could provide connections to public transit and fill gaps in service.

Thursday, December 13, 2018 in Metro Magazine

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

People walking up and down stairs in New York City subway station.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving

Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

April 18 - Scientific American

White public transit bus with bike on front bike rack in Nashville, Tennessee.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan

Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

April 18 - Bloomberg CityLab

An engineer controlling a quality of water ,aerated activated sludge tank at a waste water treatment plant.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding

The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.

April 18 - Smart Cities Dive