The United States Transportation Policy: Everything You Need to Know

Introduction 

The United States transport system plays an integral role in the economy of America. It links the nation geographically, permitting individuals as well as businesses to shift from one area to another. The transport system moves through a matrix of approximately 5.5 million kilometers of railroads, oil and gas pipelines, public roads, waterways, and over 18 770 private and public airports 1 . Over 240 million railcars, vehicles, recreational boa, ships, and aircraft utilize the network. American transport system bolsters approximately 4.5 trillion passenger-miles and about 4 trillion ton-miles of goods movement yearly. 

Additionally, the government and consumer transport-related expenditures attribute for approximately 11 percent of the US gross domestic products. The transport system is among the top five highest activities in the economy behind healthcare, food, and housing. An average family in the US spends about 7,000 dollars yearly on transportation-related expenses. Furthermore, about 4.5 million individuals are employed in the transportation industry. Among the 4.5 million employed people, 1.8 million are employed by warehousing and trucking industries, 1.2 million by air transportation companies, and 485,000 by public transit operators 2 . The remaining people are employed by rail transportation companies, transport service companies, water transportation companies, and pipeline companies. 

As much as America transport sector plays a significant role to the economy, the United States’ roads are always overcrowded, in poor condition and severely underfunded. More than two out of every five miles of the US urban interstates are congested. Traffic delays as a result of traffic congestion cost the country around 160 billion dollars in wasted time and fuel in 2014. With more vehicles on the roads, it is no surprise that congestion problem in the United States will worsen. This paper seeks to define and introduce traffic congestion in the United States. It will further discuss the importance of the transportation policy and address best practices that can be used to improve the policy. 

Traffic congestion in the United States 

Traffic congestion is a critical challenge to the performance of transportation system in major cities in the United States. In 2010, drivers in America urban areas wasted about 1.9 billion gallons of fuel in traffic for around 4.8 billion hours. Unlike other developed countries, the US is expected to experience population increase in the coming 20 years. With the increase in population, highway VMT is predicted to rise almost twice as fast as the population over this period. Despite the necessity of the transport system, ambitious transportation policymaking is still elusive. 

There are numerous reasons that cause traffic congestion in the United States. One of the causes of traffic congestion is ineffective planning and road structure design. If planning and design is not appropriate, then traffic congestion will occur. The government should adapt a new strategy to avoid and eliminate old strategies by using new technologies. Apart from poor planning and road structure, huge population development is another cause if traffic congestion. As population continues to rise, traffic problem also increases. Families that have less education lack the knowledge of limiting their families which eventually lead increases population and traffic congestion. Another cause of traffic congestion is poor traffic management. If decisions regarding rules and regulations are not effective, then traffic problem will arise. Every individual of the traffic controlling system should have basic knowledge about monitoring skills and the government should implant traffic control devices in proper locations to reduce traffic congestion. 

Importance of the transportation policy to traffic congestion 

The US traffic congestion has a significant impact on society and the national economy. Addressing traffic congestion ensures safety of American citizens by reducing transport-related deaths and injuries. The policy also ensures that the US proactively maintains its essential transportation in a good state to preserve reliability, efficiency, capability, and safety. 3 It also supports economic competitiveness. 

Transportation policy that addresses traffic congestion promotes livable communities through investments and policies that increase choices and access to transportation services. The sociological effects that result from heightened mobility are tremendous. Enhancements in the transportation system have shattered family traditions and age-old customs. Family members tend to be divided by distance and are less likely to be ingrained in different community. After completing the interstate highway system and airway development because of World War II, millions of Americans can visit all US corners and the world freely. The US transportation system, together with satellite broadcasts, has transformed the way American perceives themselves. 

As much as the US transportation system plays a critical role in the economy, the importance of United States's transportation policy is indisputable. Litman notes that transportation policy faces considerable contention regarding the role of private and public sectors in determining the nature and scope of the national transport. Since the government has developed inefficient systems that are costly and unsuitable for moving goods and people, it is important to give private sectors a chance to implement transportation policy decisions. Other individuals argue that government's intervention in the transportation system is a good idea but requires the government transportation system to consider the effect of these interventions to the society and traffic. 

Most people contend that the developed government policies favor highways over intercity passenger and mass transit rail service, which has impacted irreparable harm to the US cities. These individuals further argue that roads have contributed to American society suburbanization and encouraged the spread of unsightly suburban sprawl. People also advocate for smart development strategies that can incorporate different transportation modes into a comprehensive transportation system that utilizes regional planning council and metropolitan planning organizations to develop a seamless and less fragmented transportation system in the United States urban regions. According to Lucas and Graham, the US government uses about 180 billion dollars on building transportation projects, and the private sectors utilize about 20 billion dollars annually. Still, traffic congestion, particularly in the US largest cities, are at record levels. 4 

More so, traffic congestion is worsening, particularly after the September 11 terrorist attack on Pentagon and Twin Tower. Most people argue that the government worries about non-traffic related issues, which makes it hard to tackle traffic congestion. As indicated by Marsden and Louise, an average number of Americans get stuck in traffic each year. 5 Besides, highway traffic congestion in the United States in 68 biggest cities account for about 78 billion dollars loss of wasted fuel and lost wages in a year. As much as debates over the institutional arrangement and public policies are essential, the government should not underestimate the influence of public behavior and preferences on the success or failure of institutional structures and public systems. 

The movement of individuals and other commodities is mainly fulfilling the fundamental needs of society. Public entities are answerable towards required infrastructure provisions and enforcing rules to its utilization, to optimize its advantages to the economic development and welfare. Therefore, enacting the transportation policy process should prevent accidents and reduces pressure on the environment. People and goods' movement leads to economic development, productivity, and employment by creating access to jobs, resources, products, and markets. Transport plays an integral role in economic and social cohesion. As a result, economic development increases volumes transported due to rising incomes, technological progress, structural changes in production and consumption as well as production and sales. 

Transformation in transportation policy in America started when people utilized paper maps purchased from bookstores or gas stations and has currently moved to smartphones. Currently, people use smartphone apps to provide them with GPS services that use crowdsourcing to help them navigate and reroute to avoid congestion. Despite the dramatic innovations and advances, transportation policy still has numerous problems. Each day, people are confronted with traffic bottlenecks. The factors that cause transport problems include transportation financing and funding, a rise of unnecessary transportation projects, inadequate management systems that manage road patchwork systems. 

The federal government attributes a core issue revolving around transportation policy in regulating local transportation and state matters. The federal government should concentrate on bolstering research, individuals with low income, and preserving highways between cities and ensuring safety. There is a need for new federalism that concisely illustrates the federal government's necessity with constrained functions and responsibilities to make transportation policy more effective. Additionally, the transportation system ought to empower state and local governments to address, manage, and identify transportation needs. The government can maintain existing network by developing policies to empower regions and make appropriate choices regarding dollar maintenance expenditures because they have essential knowledge about conditions and needs of the area. 

In recent years, funding disagreements have also dominated the development of the transportation policy. Most people agree that the existing funding has not maintained the nation's transportation needs which have resulted into a conflict. Some people advocate for a rise in transportation-related taxes and additional federal general revenue funding to fill the gap. In contrast, other people support a mix of increased fees and taxes, public-private partnerships, and bonds. Other individual reject cost and tax increase in favor of a rise in the utilization of bonds, tolling, and heightened dependence on local and state government 

The use of overlapping sanctions is another controversy in the transportation policy. These sanctions impose a fine on the program recipient. The penalty may include a decrease in assistance for not complying with the requirements of an independent program. Numerous sanctions are attached to federal highway assistance to limit high speeds of national financed highways and setting blood alcohol concentration levels to determine when motorists are driving under the influence of alcohol. Even though several overlapping sanctions have politically popular goals, local and state government officials opposed to the means utilized to fulfill these goals. In their perspective, they think that crossover sanctions constraints state’s rights are a practical use of federal government power. 

The current federal transportation policy is criticized because it lacks a comprehensive approach that identifies different ways transportation modes can be incorporated into a single national transportation system. The current transportation policy lacks a detailed strategy because of the Congress and federal government's decentralized committee system of addressing bridge and highway programs separately from mass transit programs such as air and water transportation programs. As a result, there is barely any consideration regarding the best ways to integrate different country's transportation modes cohesively. Instead, the government stresses on building capacity in each mode. As much as this approach pleases some influential transportation interest groups, it develops a policy-making process that includes the consideration of innovative means to address traffic congestion. 

Best practices for addressing the traffic congestion 

The United States needs to begin directing traffic. Even though the federal government does not have a clear vision for transportation, it has to develop new transport approaches. The US transportation system should be incorporated into the service of the US economy. The government must involve private and public sectors' efforts to make it more comfortable in the movement of goods and services, find suitable ways to minimize carbon release, incorporate advanced technologies into daily movements and link people to jobs that are not far away from their residential areas. There are various best practices that can be incorporated to reduce traffic congestion. To start with, traffic congestion can be reduced by aligning road supply and demand. Decreasing the demand for travel at most congested times and enhancing traffic flow through urban system alleviate pressure on congested areas. 

One of the strategies that address the transportation problem is boosting exports. America should become export-oriented for the development of its economy in the future. The export issue is just a matter of inadequate infrastructure, but it is also a matter of competition. 

Both states and cities are continuously competing for transport activities rather than jointing together for the advantage of all terminals in the area. Without a general strategy, efforts and subsidies duplication will hurt the economy, provided resources are scarce. The government needs to collaborate with shippers, the freight industry, metro areas, and states and create a detailed plan that determines suitable ways to aid freight flow. The developed program can determine essential corridors for target investments to lessen transport bottlenecks, enhance safety, and offer better port access. This implies developing roads that lead to ports or developing truck-only lanes on existing routes. As opined by Schiller et al., Canada, the US, and Mexico ought to converge and study infrastructure needs at their borders and connect the two borders by building roads. 6 

Some states have devised innovative solutions on their own, which should be integrated under the national transportation policy. For instance, Canada and the United States, together with Michigan and Ontario law, have decided to build a bridge across R. Detroit to maintain trade flow. Besides, the World Trade Bridge in Texas has initiated electronic toll collection tags to reduce traffic congestion and time wastage. 

Competition between ports for shipping business is another problem that is affecting the traffic congestion. The federal government can ease this problem by denying federal aid to any state that refuses to work with other states to boost business in the entire region. For this to be successful, the two sides should have an agreement and carefully structure and police it to avoid failure as it happened on Jasper Ocean Terminal on Savannah River between South Carolina and Georgia. 

Adding innovations is another practice that can address the traffic congestion. The available advanced technology makes the automobile industry to be smoother and efficient. The traffic signals controlled by computers can maximize traffic flow. For instance, electronic toll-collection tags allow drivers to pay without stopping. Also, changing signs give information about the next train or rough traffic conditions ahead. More so, freeway-management centers can monitor road incidents, dispatch service vehicles to get traffic moving, and apparent accidents. The technologies mentioned above can aid in addressing various problems that emanate from transportation. 

Technology can reduce traffic congestion that costs the US around 200 billion dollars annually in environmental impact and lost productivity. Appropriate traffic information can help drivers avoid accidents and prevent about 250 billion dollars of loss that emanate from accidents. 7 Going high-tech can also spur development among various organizations that develop and manufacture electric gear. Smart technology implementation in the United States is inadequate. Only 33 percent of metropolitan buses can be tracked electronically, and less than one percent of bus stops have electronic portrayals to provide traveler’s information to the public. Tracking buses have not been started in the US because they do not have incentives to implement these innovations, and funds are not distributed equally based on performance. 

The government should transform its system by rewarding innovation, efficiency, and encouraging public-private collaboration to get this type of technology deployed across the United States. The federal government should provide municipalities’ ample rewards such as tax breaks and grants for getting efficient. Currently, the US Transportation Department collaborates with private and public companies to create metrics and techniques required to make wireless technologies tools needed to deploy wireless technologies on roadways and cars. The reason for using this technology is to avoid accidents and send information to the driver regarding congestion to prevent delays. 

Finally, linking people with their jobs is another strategy that can be used to address transportation policy problems. The market has to make it easier for individuals to get their jobs. People from low-income residential areas rely on transit to access labor market opportunities resulting in high car ownership costs compared to people from other households. Workers at the city's core have to do away with opportunities from the suburban labor-market while other workers spend a significant share of their income to own and operate a car. 

Research indicates that approximately 25 percent of jobs available in middle and low-skill companies can be accessed through public transit within one hour thirty minutes for typical metropolitan commuters. In high-skill industries, 33 percent of jobs can be accessed through public transit. For instance, in Los Angeles, 99 percent of low-income neighborhoods use transit systems, and a typical American can access about 36 percent of jobs by transit. 8 The government needs to provide more mobility and access to job opportunities for low-income workers. To solve this problem, the government should conduct its activities regarding the transportation issue differently and create various ways to converge them. 

Congress helps projects to create corridors that link commercial and residential areas by speeding up their approvals. For instance, Congress can help states with fortified environmental review and planning processes to abandon various steps that include drafting the government's ecological impact statement. The national infrastructure bank can help by giving loans to different transportation projects that are essential to the entire country. 

In summary, transportation policy plays a significant role in society and the national economy. Firstly, it links the country through waterways, oil and gas pipelines, public roads, airports, and railroads. The best practice that can be addressed in the transportation policy is boosting exports, getting greener, adding innovations, and linking workers with work. In boosting exports, the government should involve all stakeholders such as states, metro areas, freight industry and shippers to determine corridors for target investments to improve safety. Additionally, the US can get greener by formulating policies that reduce carbon production to improve quality and provide significant energy security. Adding innovations in transport will enable monitoring of road accidents and dispatch vehicles to get traffic moving. However, the above-mentioned practices will only be achieved if the federal government supports the transportation policy completely. 

Bibliography 

Davis, Benjamin, Tony Dutzik, and Phineas Baxandall. "Transportation and the new generation: Why young people are driving less and what it means for transportation policy." (2012). 

Giuliano, Genevieve. "Transportation Policy: Public Transit, Settlement Patterns, and Equity in the United States." In The Oxford Handbook of Urban Economics and Planning. 2011. 

Litman, Todd. "Active transportation policy issues." National Roundtable on Active Transportation (2003): 9-10. 

Lucas, Karen, and Graham Currie. "Developing socially inclusive transportation policy: transferring the United Kingdom policy approach to the State of Victoria?." Transportation 39, no. 1 (2012): 151-173. 

Marsden, Greg, and Louise Reardon. "Questions of governance: Rethinking the study of transportation policy." Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 101 (2017): 238-251. 

Schiller, Preston L., Eric Christian Bruun, and Jeffrey R. Kenworthy. An introduction to sustainable transportation: Policy, planning and implementation. Earthscan, 2010. 

Vigar, Geoff. "The four knowledges of transport planning: Enacting a more communicative, trans-disciplinary policy and decision-making." Transport Policy 58 (2017): 39-45. 

Wachs, Martin. "Transportation policy, poverty, and sustainability: history and future." Transportation research record 2163, no. 1 (2010): 5-12. 

1 Benjamin Davis, Tony Dutzik, and Phineas Baxandall. "Transportation and the new generation: Why young people are driving less and what it means for transportation policy." (2012) 

2 Genevieve Giuliano. "Transportation Policy: Public Transit, Settlement Patterns, and Equity in the United States." In The Oxford Handbook of Urban Economics and Planning. (2011) 

3 Todd Litman. "Active transportation policy issues." National Roundtable on Active Transportation” (2003): 9-10. 

4 Karen Lucas, and Graham Currie. "Developing socially inclusive transportation policy: transferring the United Kingdom policy approach to the State of Victoria?." Transportation 39, no. 1 (2012): 151-173. 

5 Greg Marsden, and Louise Reardon. "Questions of governance: Rethinking the study of transportation policy." Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 101(2017): 238-251. 

6 Preston Schiller, Eric Christian Bruun, and Jeffrey R. Kenworthy. An introduction to sustainable transportation: Policy, planning and implementation. Earthscan, 2010. 

7 Geoff Vigar. "The four knowledges of transport planning: Enacting a more communicative, trans-disciplinary policy and decision-making." Transport Policy 58 (2017): 39-45. 

8 Martin Wachs. "Transportation policy, poverty, and sustainability: history and future." Transportation research record 2163, no. 1(2010): 5-12.