Using the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Data on the use of public transportation in every U.S. city with a population of more than 175,000 people, financial website SmartAsset recently determined the best cities in the Nation for public transportation based on:
- The average commute time for transit users.
- Percentage difference between average commute times of car commuters and transit users.
- Percentage of commuters who use public transit.
- Total number of commuters who use public transit.
- The difference between the citywide median income and the median income of transit users.
So where does New York City stand?
Based on sheer size, there is no question that New York City has the top public transportation system in the U.S. […] with subway ridership of more than 1.7 billion in 2014. When including buses, total ridership is more than 2.5 billion. Size, however, is not everything. The average commute time for transit users in New York is 48 minutes, which ranks 81st out of the 136 cities in SmartAsset analysis. Although drivers in New York don’t exactly have it easy, transit users have it worse, with an average commute that is 48% longer than the average for car commuters.
When all calculated out, our transit systems place us 5th overall in the Nation. Step it up MTA!
Check out the full article for more details on methodology and to see how lesser cities fared.
via SmartAsset
Matt Coneybeare
Editor in Chief
Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.
Something wrong with this post? Let us know!
