C1M3 Data Visualization Graded Assignment – Data

Facts About U.S. Transportation – Data Visualization Exercise Background Data

1. If you drive a car, you now spend, on average, the equivalent of five vacation days every year
sitting in traffic.

2. America’s population will grow by 70 million by 2045. In 2045 there will be nearly twice as
many older Americans, who often have difficulty accessing medical and other important
services.
3. Public revenues to support transportation are not keeping up with the rising costs of
maintenance and capacity expansion. Sixty-five percent of roads are rated in less than good
condition, a quarter of U.S. bridges need significant repair, and 45 percent of Americans lack
access to transit.

4. On average, Americans spend over 40 hours stuck in traffic each year.

5. Over the past 30 years the American population has increased 35 percent—from 230 million
to 320 million. In the next 30 years, the population is expected to grow by about 30 million.

6. Paratransit services—individualized door-to-door transportation services—offer a good option

for some older and Americans with disabilities, but they are more than three times as expensive
to provide as traditional transit services.

7. By 2045, the number of Americans over 65 will increase by 77%.

8. Transportation is the second-largest expense for US households. On average, transportation

accounts for nearly 20 percent of total household expenses and 12-15 percent of total
household income. But the burden is much greater for lower income households. For
consumers in the lowest 20 percent of income earners, transportation costs account for
approximately 32 percent of their after-tax income.

9. By the end of the 2000s, millennials drove over 20% fewer miles than at the start of the
decade.

10. The annual financial cost of congestion is $121 billion.

11. There are 74 million Americans aged 18 to 34, compared to 68 million Americans aged 50 to
68.

12. Surveys of Millennials have shown that they are more likely to value access to their phone
over access to a car and to shop or socialize online as alternatives to driving. However, surveys
also show that most still aspire to own a home, and a majority would prefer a single-family home
with more space in the suburbs, rather than a smaller home closer to amenities in an urban
environment.

13. By 2045, there will be an estimated 81 million Americans older than 65 making up 21
percent of the population. That is nearly twice as many older Americans as there are today.

14. Older Americans are more likely to have physical limitations that affect their ability to drive.
More than 56 million Americans of all ages have a disability. Half of Americans over the age of
65 report having some form of disability, and 36 percent have a severe disability that requires
personal assistance.

15. Car sharing is growing at a rapid rate. In 2014, there were 1.6 million members in 24 active
programs in the United States, marking a more than tenfold increase in membership in just
seven years.

16. Since 2009, Americans’ incomes have declined for all but the wealthiest 10 percent. In
2013, there were 45.3 million people living in poverty, an increase of more than 14 million since
2000.

17. Public transit commutes are, on average, nearly twice as long as auto commutes. Only
about one quarter of jobs in low- and middle-skill industries in major metropolitan areas are
accessible by a less-than-90-minute transit ride.

18. Today approximately half of all Americans live in the suburbs. Three quarters of all
population growth since 1980 has occurred in the suburbs. Jobs have also moved to the
suburbs. In 2010, the number of jobs in metropolitan areas located more than 10 miles from
downtown was nearly double the number of jobs located fewer than three miles from downtown.

19. Motor vehicle crashes remain among the leading causes of death for Americans under the
age of 64. In 2013, 32,719 individuals lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes. Of those, nearly
one third were killed in a crash involving an alcohol-impaired driver. Nearly half of those killed
were not wearing a seatbelt.

20. By age group, the estimated population in 2015 is: 0-15 years: 65.2 million; 16-64 years:
208.2 million; 65 to 84 years: 41.5 million; 85+ years: 6.1 million. By 2045, those estimates are
expected to increase to: 0-15 years: 70 million; 16-64 years: 234.7 million; 65 to 84 years: 67.4
million; 85+ years: 17.3 million.

21. By 2040, U.S. freight volume will grow to 29 billion tons, an increase of 45%. Trucking is the
primary mode of freight travel.

22. Transit users tend to be regular riders; trips to work and school account for approximately 70
percent of all trips. Those who earn less than $50,000 per year are more likely to be regular
transit riders than those who earn between $50,000 and $150,000 per year. Transit ridership is
also higher among those who make more than $150,000 per year. Approximately 30 percent of
transit riders come from households that do not own a car. Finally, those under the age of 30
are more than twice as likely as those over the age of 30 to use transit.
23. Highway congestion cost the U.S. economy an estimated $121 billion each year in wasted
time and fuel and an average commuter more than $800.

Data source: U.S. Department of Transportation, "Beyond Traffic: Trends and Choices 2045”