Transportation inequality in the United States

Transportation inequality describes a situation where there are measurable differences between populations in the types of transportation modes people use, the populations who use these modes of transportation or the modes of transportation available between geographic locations.
Measurement concepts
Automobile ownership rates
Social scientists will measure inequalities in transportation by comparing the rates of automobile ownership between similar populations in a specific geographic area. This can be measured by observing individuals who hold titles for a personal automobile, the amount of households with access to at least one vehicle or the ratio of vehicles per person in a neighborhood. Some researchers measured automobile ownership rates in New Orleans, Louisiana before Hurricane Katrina to see if it had any affect on the evacuation of the city. In 2005, 32.7% of black residents did not have household access to automobiles, compared to 20.9% of Hispanics and 9.7% of whites in New Orleans. Nationally, 7.8% of U.S. residents were without automobile access. Broken down by race and ethnicity those percentages were 4.6% white, 19.0% black, 9.6% other and 13.7% Hispanic. This trend is present in the majority of cities and states across the United States.
Causes
Government spending
Public transportation projects include the construction, modernization or replacement of interstates, highways and bridges, as well as the improvement of roadway surfaces and safety features. In 2014 alone, Ohio spent $2.5 billion on improving these aspects of the state's transportation infrastructure. In comparison, Ohio spent $7.3 million on public transit, which accounts for rail, bus, subway and ferry expenses. The national average for public transit spending in 2014 was $274 million. As a result, low-income Americans who disproportionately rely the most on transit and government transportation programs receive the least amount of transportation dollars.
Spatial mismatch
The spatial mismatch hypothesis was introduced by John F. Kain in 1965 and argues that the location of America’s job opportunities are more inaccessible for minorities compared to non-minorities, which causes minorities to experience higher rates of unemployment compared to non-minorities. The moving of jobs that were traditionally located in city centers, where there are higher concentrations of minorities, into the suburbs have made it difficult for minorities to access those jobs that are no longer within commuting distance. The relocation of jobs results in higher costs of commuting, which dissuades minorities to move to the suburbs to follow lower-paying jobs. The locations of these kiosks tend to be introduced in wealthier commercial and residential neighborhoods because the demand and economic benefit of ridership in those areas is the highest. Also, stations located in low-income areas are often underused because those residents do not want to pay a yearly fee or they do not have access to a credit card or other method of electronic payment that is necessary to rent a bike.

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