More transportation options such as transit, walking and biking are good for the environment, economy, and social equity. Yet, the system we currently have revolves around car dependence, bolstered by outdated policies and industry lobbying.
New UCS analysis finds that:
-
A system with improved transportation options and reduced driving could save up to $201 billion in energy infrastructure and $128 billion in public health costs through 2050, presenting a more effective climate solution than the current car-dependent model.
-
The auto and oil industries have a vested interest in car dependence, currently receiving more than 75 percent of public and private transportation spending and have lobbied for decades to prioritize cars over a more complete and affordable set of transportation options.
-
Science-based policies that prioritize more transportation choices align with community-based solutions where local advocates have long fought for a transportation system that prioritizes people over industry interests.
In this report
A People-Centered Transportation System
Vehicles and Fossil Fuels are Larger Transportation Costs than Roads or Transit
Reduced VMT Scenarios Result in Significant Benefits Relative to Net Zero Scenario
Trends in Government Spending on Transit and Roads
The Flow of Transportation Funding
Households in US Without a Vehicle
Downloads
Citation
Shen, Kevin X., Dave Cooke, Emmanuell De Barros, Mike Christensen, Kim Mitchell, and Dorothy Wiley. 2024. Freedom to Move: Investing in Transportation Choices for a Clean, Prosperous, and Just Future. Cambridge, MA: Union of Concerned Scientists. https://doi.org/10.47923/2024.15594
Related resources
Freight
UCS: What We Do
EV batteries
