Why The U.S. Gave Up On Public Transit

Public transit in the U.S. is notorious for being infrequent and unreliable. Americans had to wait 17 minutes on average to get on public transit in 2022, while 45% of Americans have no access to public transportation at all. And while the U.S. spends billions in funding every year, transits across the nation like the MTA, RTA and SEPTA are finding themselves in a fiscal crisis. Ultimately it’s the riders who are paying for the deficit. So just how did public transit in the U.S. get so awful? And can it be improved?

Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction
01:25 — America loves cars
06:17 — Vicious cycle
09:25 — Significance and solutions

Produced & Edited by: Juhohn Lee
Animation: Jason Reginato
Supervising Producer: Lindsey Jacobson
Additional Footage: Getty Images
Additional Sources: TransitCenter, NBC News, SEPTA, RTA, LA Metro

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Why The U.S. Gave Up On Public Transit

[amaurilol]

As a car guy, I would like us to have better public transport. Being stuck in traffic whenever I need to do something is not fun. I don't know what the solution is, but we need more reliable ways of moving people around and reducing the amount of cars we have. We need to incentivize people not to use their cars.

[cupcakke]

Profitability is only talked about for public transport, never for car infrastructure. Highways are incredibly expensive to build, yet politicians don't worry about making that profitable, so why is profitability even an issue when talking about public transport? Public transport pays for itself by increasing investment in areas near transport stops. Just build and fund it!

[celieboo]

The automobile industry lobbied hard for car infrastructure back in the early 20th century. That is why we are so car dependent now.

[duhmark]

This is probably the first time in a decade that I've watched a cable news segment and came away feeling not only like I didn't waste my time, but that it was time well-spent. Thank you for making the case for those of us who rely on transit every day to support our way of life. Our voices tend to get drowned out by the highway roar.

[SOPDX]

What really isn't discussed in this video is that while 40% of transit is funded by government subsidies and taxes, that figure for roads is likely near 100%.

[theidiots]

I’m a moderate and I’m tired of lackluster transit options. It’s pathetic to be a country that decides to do so little with so much.

[scpatlnow]

People who say we shouldn't spend money on transit because it doesn't pay for itself have no idea that the roads they love so much don't come anywhere near paying for themselves in any way. It's more expensive to build and more expensive to maintain.

[erickbyarushengo]

As an American who’s lived in Europe, if I were to tell anyone what I miss the most about being there on top of anything else, is how easy, safe and accessible public transportation is there. The places I lived, the nearest subway or tram line(s) were only a very short walk away, and then I could easily get around all over the city. You really get to see the community when you’re on the public transit system. You don’t really get to see the community when the vast majority of the population is driving in the box of a car. It’s been 5 years since I’ve returned to America, and there’s almost not a day that goes by where I’m reminded how much I loathe the car culture here. I really don’t like the lack of public transportation and how much American cities and suburbs are designed in a way to make you rely on a car to get almost anywhere. And being in Southern California, you’re really looked down upon for not driving a car. I’ve traveled a few times into Los Angeles using the metrolink (the Amtrak train network that connects the greater Los Angeles area). It takes two hours to get to Union Station in downtown. The regional trains in Europe would have gotten me to my destination much quicker than this. And when I take the Metro rail lines in Los Angeles, the services aren’t so great and there’s this feeling of not being safe while riding the transit lines.

It’s also one of many reasons why America has an obesity crisis. If you use public transportation, you have some form of exercise through walking to where you need to go. Getting around through a car limits that exercise.

And just a side note, there’s been a few times when I’ve been on a station platform waiting on a transit line to come and I see a foreign tourist using the transportation system. I can’t help but feel embarrassed because I know for a fact how much better the transportation system is for them back home.

[mayjimeno]

This is actually one of the things that surprised & disappointed me on my first US trip as a tourist. Prior to this, the only 'developed' countries I've been to were Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and all of them had amazing public transport system. I was expecting the same in the US bec I was thinking it was a rich country & prob placed a lot of money on this aspect

[PuffOfSmoke]

I remember watching a video where most tourists in Asia and Europe would rather take their money and be a tourist in Asia or Europe because it's more accessible to travel via mass transit than in the US where an Uber can cost around $20-40 one way.

[turkishdelight]

As much as I love my car, I have come to the conclusion that I would prefer an efficient public transit system. Seeing the systems in Asia really opened my eyes up as to what is possible; their subways and busses are clean, safe, and punctual. I hope the US can make this happen sooner than later

[cristinabuffington]

As an American who lived in Europe for a time, one of the things I actually missed was the reliable public transportation system. And there were times when I told people how I got around, there were occasions where I got looks like I was speaking a foreign language because it’s not a common thing here in America

[tincou]

After living in Shanghai and Hong Kong for a number of years, I realize what I miss the most is being able to safely walk places and the access to good public transportation (including taxis, when needed).

[firdavse]

I came to the USA from a thirld world country. Guess what, the public transportation here is much worse than in my country of Uzbekistan. What a shame.

[rudeoldguy]

My grandma and grandpa met on a train. I literally would not be here if not for public transport. I wish we had more of it in this country, it could help to bring people together again, all of us in our own little car on the highway is just another thing that keeps us all apart from each other.

[LashknifeTalon]

As a Northern VA resident, I'm horrified that our public transit system is still apparently considered one of the better ones in the USA. I regularly wait 20+ minutes for a train. My commute can vary anywhere between 45 minutes and 3 hours on a whim, with no announcement. It is impossible for me to get to my friend's house (30 minutes by car) without a 7 hour bus ride. There is regularly trash in the trains. I've been on a derailed train at least twice. I can't remember the last time some part of the system wasn't shut down for maintenance. About 30% of the escalators don't work.

[_kaleido]

Better public transportation would be a win-win for everyone, less pollution, lower obesity rates, better accessibility for those who can’t or are unwilling to drive, meanwhile the roads will be emptier and safer for car enthusiasts and people who just like driving.

[jamalgibson]

One thing this video is missing is the discussion about land-use. Transit and land-use policy are intrinsically linked and you cannot have good transit without good land-use.

When the federal government (through the federal housing administration) decided that low density suburbs were the only form of housing they would invest in, they sealed the fate of most transit networks. You don't need insane levels of density to make transit work, but you do need better density than what most (US) suburbs have.

[infidelheretic]

“American cities weren’t BUILT for the car. They were DESTROYED for the car.”

Mass transit used to be the norm. Streets used to be mixed use and walkable.

Undoing the damage of car centric infrastructure though might be very difficult.

[h_iii]

I rode public transit for 3 years after I was out of work and lost my car. Its what kept my head above water. Literally 90% of the people I was riding with, outside of the homeless, were going to and from work too. Car prices these days are really ridiculous. When you think about it, how crazy is it that 90% of the population walks around with a cellphone that isnt paid off, a car that isnt paid off and select few have homes that put them in debt too. The ones that dont have a home, usually want the home along with thr obligations that go along with it too. Idk where this world is going but this simply isnt sustainable.