National Center for Sustainable Transportation

The challenge of meeting transportation needs is heightened in rural contexts, where destinations are more dispersed and there are fewer transportation options. A growing body of literature has established that accessibility, or the ability to reach valued destinations, is critical to satisfying a person’s fundamental needs. Conversely, difficulty accessing destinations can result in travel burdens such as high transportation costs or unmet needs, adversely affecting well-being. This study evaluates differences in travel burdens and the factors that drive them in rural and urban contexts in the United States. Using the 2017 National Household Transportation Survey, the authors first evaluate differences in travel burdens across rural versus urban communities, including i) the magnitude of travel burdens, ii) who experiences travel burdens, and iii) the individual and environmental factors that are associated with travel burdens. This study finds that people living in rural areas are more likely to report burdensome travel costs and unmet travel needs compared to people living in nonrural areas, and these differences are exacerbated for people earning a low income and those without vehicle access. The authors also observe variation across rural contexts, pointing to the role that proximity to town centers plays for providing access for those without a vehicle. To better understand the relationship between unmet need and vehicle access, the authors conducted 59 semi structured interviews with two populations living in Vermont: i) people living in the largely rural Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and ii) Latinx migrant workers living in Vermont. The qualitative interview results illustrate the transportation experiences, barriers, and adaptations of rural car-limited populations. Findings underscore the importance of vehicle access as a determinant of mobility for many people living in rural communities. The interview findings highlight barriers to mobility such as vehicle maintenance costs as well as the mobility that personal networks and limited public transportation provide for many people without a personal vehicle. The interview results also point to substantial variation in experiences and needs across rural populations, as Latinx migrant workers’ mobility was also related to English proficiency, proximity to an international border, and availability of a driver’s privilege card. As decision makers seek more sustainable rural transportation systems and a reduced reliance on vehicles, the findings from this study underscore the importance of addressing the needs of car-limited rural populations to ensure an equitable and just climate transition. 

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