Title

Transportation costs and the American dream: why a lack of transportation choices strains the family budget and hinders home ownership

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2003

Subject Area

Location - USA, Modes of Transport - Car - Driver, Modes of Transport - Car - Driving, Social Issues - Low Income

Abstract

Transportation is the second largest annual expense for American families, adding up to more than three times the cost of health care, and exceeded only by housing as an expenditure. For lower-income families, the expense of transportation poses an even greater burden, inhibiting wealth creation, hindering home ownership, and dangerously straining already tight family budgets. This report from the Surface Transportation Policy Project outlines this issue and ranks 28 major metropolitan areas by the amount of the family budget devoted to daily transportation costs.