Investing in California’s Transportation Future: 2022 Public Opinion on Critical Needs

Abstract:

This study surveyed 3,821 adults living in California about their general travel behaviors and resources, use of ride-hailing, performance ratings for the transportation system and agencies responsible for transportation, transportation system improvement priorities, and preference for how transportation funds are allocated. Key findings include the following:

• Californians are multi-modal: Although driving was the most common mode, respondents reported that in the previous 30 days 66% had made a walk trip, 28% had used ridehailing, 25% had used public transit, and 22% had bicycled.

• Although many respondents had at least once substituted ride-hailing for transit, walking, or bicycling and micromobility, the impact on those modes was nuanced. For example, although 64% of respondents who used ride-hailing had done so at least once when transit was available, only about a quarter of ride-hailers (27%) felt that they used transit less once they started ride-hailing. Another 16% of ride-hailers said they rode transit more after they started ride-hailing.

• Virtually all respondents—over 90%—wanted the state to work towards better safety and maintenance; reduced congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution; and convenient multimodal travel options.

• Large majority of respondents placed a medium or high priority on transportation spending options to support all modes.

Publications:

Investing in California’s Transportation Future: 2022 Public Opinion on Critical Needs (Full Report)

Research Brief

Authors:

ASHA WEINSTEIN AGRAWAL, PHD

Dr. Agrawal is the Director of the MTI National Transportation Finance Center and also Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at San José State University. Her research and teaching interests in transportation policy and planning include transportation finance, bicycle and pedestrian planning, and travel survey methods. She also works in the area of transportation history. She earned a BA in Folklore and Mythology from Harvard University, an MSc in Urban and Regional Planning from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a PhD in City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley.

HILARY NIXON, PHD

Dr. Nixon is Deputy Executive Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute and a faculty member in the MS Transportation Management program at San José State University. She specializes in transportation and environmental planning and policy, and her research focuses primarily on the factors that influence pro-environmental behavior and the relationship between transportation and the environment. She earned a BA from the University of Rochester and a PhD in Planning, Policy and Design from the University of California, Irvine.

Published:

July 2023

Keywords:

Public opinion

Surveys

State taxation

State departments of transportation