The average American household spends 18 cents of every dollar earned on transportation, most of which goes to owning and maintaining vehicles. For the poorest households with vehicles, the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance can exceed 35 percent of income, making vehicle ownership an overwhelming financial burden. According to the Center for Transportation Excellence (CFTE), an estimated 94 percent of welfare recipients attempting to move into the workforce do not own cars and rely on public transportation.

It’s a sticky situation. How do you get to a job when you don’t have a car? But how do you afford a car if you don’t have a job?

Youth, the elderly, people with disabilities, minority, and low-income communities are often the most dependent on transit. CFTE maintains public transportation enhances equity in American society by providing quality transportation access to everyone.

The average American household spends 18 cents of every dollar earned on transportation, most of which goes to owning and