---
title: Why Now
description: Transportation is the second-biggest household expense, and policy hasn't changed since the 1950s. See why better public transit and safe streets can't wait.
image: https://www.centerforamericanmobility.org/hubfs/og.jpg
---

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# Why Now

America's transportation policy has barely changed since the 1950s. Meanwhile, too many Americans don’t have an affordable way to access jobs, schools, and healthcare.

![why-now-intro-img](https://www.centerforamericanmobility.org/hubfs/why-now-intro-img.jpg)

## The Affordability Problem

Transportation is the second-biggest expense for American households, after housing, costing more than $1,100 a month. To bring down the cost of living, people need affordable ways to get to work, school, and the doctor.

Unaffordable for working families.

## New Technology Is Accelerating What’s Possible

Technology is opening up more ways to get around than ever, giving communities of all sizes the ability to provide efficient mobility options. Better data and software help cities plan routes and run service more reliably. E-bikes turn a three-mile drive into a fifteen-minute ride. Autonomous vehicles are emerging as a viable transportation option, and we should deploy them in ways to expand public transit and increase mobility for all.

The question isn't what's possible. It's whether leaders move fast enough to meet the moment.

## Americans Deserve Better

Traffic crashes killed 39,254 people in the U.S. in 2024, and they remain a leading cause of death for children and teens. Congestion is at a record high: the average commuter lost 63 hours to traffic in 2024, nearly eight workdays, at a cost to the economy of $269 billion a year. And too many people can't get to the jobs that exist. A state survey in Alabama cited lack of transportation as the top reason people are out of work or underemployed. 

These problems are solvable. What's missing is the political will to fix them.

![quote-img](https://144459376.fs1.hubspotusercontent-eu1.net/hubfs/144459376/quote-img.jpg)

“I’ve spent my career working for smarter transit investments and safer streets, and I’ve seen how much we need more political power to win these fights. CAM will show leaders and voters what transit and safe streets deliver, then advocate to make sure investments and policies follow.”

— Beth Osborne, President & CEO, Smart Growth America; CAM Research & Education Fund Board

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