Passenger Travel
The 20th century was a period of unparalleled public investment in transportation facilities, one that also saw major transportation policy innovations at the federal level. As a result, the average person in the United States has the highest level of personal mobility ever enjoyed. The landmark national policies designed to facilitate passenger travel include the design and primary funding of the Interstate highway system beginning in the 1950s; the reinvestment in public transportation initiated in the 1960s; funding for airport construction starting in the 1970s; the deregulation of airlines, railroads, and motor carriers during the 1970s and 1980s; and the creation of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).
Roughly 85 percent of the total miles traveled by passengers (or passenger miles) occurs in private vehicles—primarily cars and light trucks—operated on the nation’s roads and highways. Commercial aviation accounts for about 10 percent of passenger miles, and transit, intercity bus, and intercity rail represent the balance. Whereas transportation policy in the post–World War II era resulted in the construction of extensive transportation facilities, the economy and population of the United States continue to grow. In an increasingly affluent society, moreover, the demand for transportation has risen even more rapidly than the number of people (Figure 2). Two key issues involved in meeting this demand have been addressed by TRB committees: reducing metropolitan-area congestion and improving intercity travel.
Percentage Increase in Population
and Travel in the United States, 1977–1995