Transportation Spending by Low-Income California Households: Lessons for the San Francisco Bay Area

Abstract:

In Transportation Spending by Low-Income California Households: Lessons for the San Francisco Bay Area, Lorien Rice explores the roles that transportation expenditures play in household budgets, both in California’s metropolitan areas and in the Bay Area more specifically. In particular, Rice analyzes vehicle and transit expenditure data, estimates costs for various commutes in the Bay Area, and explores mode choices and other travel factors that influence monetary costs. Her findings indicate that transportation was the third-largest budget item for California’s low-income households—despite the fact that these residents are more likely to use public transit, carpool, or walk to work. Rice also reviews policy options to address transportation affordability and proposes ideas for further research.