Transportation Access Is a Public Health Issue

An expert discusses the public health implications of the CDC’s new finding that 5.7 percent of Americans face unreliable transportation.

2 minute read

January 28, 2024, 9:00 AM PST

By Mary Hammon @marykhammon


According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report released earlier this month, 15 million of American adults—5.7% of the adult population—don’t have access to reliable transportation. Why is the CDC conducting a study on transportation, you might ask? Because lack of transportation isn’t just a mobility issue; it also has far-reaching public health implications, writes Aleyna Rentz in Medical Xpress.

“Previous research has suggested a lack of transportation, especially among adults who are older, uninsured, and have lower incomes, leads to reduced access to health care, which may then lead to adverse health outcomes,” the CDC report said.

Rentz spoke about the findings with Megan Latshaw, associate professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, who has examined the health and environmental impacts of unreliable transportation in Baltimore.

People don’t just need transportation to get to doctor’s appointments, Latshaw pointed out, but also to access healthy food, education, and jobs, which also affects people’s health and ability to access quality health care. America’s high reliance on cars has also been tied to health issues caused by air pollution from vehicle emissions, she said.

“We've built America around cars. If you want to get anywhere in the U.S., unless you live in a downtown area, you need to jump in your car to get there. It's unsustainable, and it's not healthy, so we need to figure out a way to move past cars. Doing so will reduce air pollution, reduce greenhouse gases, and also get people walking and biking. And when you take public transportation, it's a social activity, if you think about it,” Latshaw told Rentz.

For better public health, Latshaw said, we need to focus on building better public transit instead of widening highways. “President Hoover had a campaign ad mentioning a car in every yard and a chicken in every pot. I'd like to see an ad calling for ‘a transit stop near every home.’ Not just a transit stop near your home, but a reliable transit system where it's going to come on time and an app that has live feed data. We need to make transit the easy choice, as opposed [to] cars.”

Monday, January 22, 2024 in Medical Xpress

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

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Downtown Los Angeles skyline viewed from a distance with freeway and trees in foreground.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods

A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

4 hours ago - USC Dornsife

Aerial view of Claifornia aqueduct with green orchard on one side.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy

California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

5 hours ago - Turlock Journal

Close-up of older woman's hands resting on white modern heating radiator mounted on wall indoors.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program

The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.

6 hours ago - The New York Times