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Abstract
In the wake of economic restructuring and decentralization of cities America has come to rely on
automobiles, contributing to high levels of traffic congestion, carbon emissions, poor quality
places, and a declining public infrastructure. Policymakers and planners recognize that mass
transit, an alternative mode of travel, can alleviate America’s strained transportation system.
However, public transportation is an infrequently used service for commuters’ work and nonwork
related trips. The purpose of this study is to examine the significance and magnitude of
large scale forces on travel behavior gauging the influence of demographics, urban area
characteristics, and certain dollar values on mass transit travel particularly bus, light/heavy rail
systems. In regressing per capita transit trips and per capita miles from the National Transit
Database on U.S. Census data across urban areas and over time (2000-2007), significant
variables include higher share of young and old age populations, larger household size, car
ownership, higher commute times, denser central places, higher government funding, and higher
gas prices. These findings illustrate how responsive the use of public transit is to urban area
environments and demographic composition. Policy should acknowledge these relationships for
environment sustainability, economic competitiveness, and social vibrancy.