Ann Arbor Times

Nearly one in five adults in the United States faces difficulty accessing reliable transportation, marking it as a significant form of material hardship, according to a study by University of Michigan researchers. The study, published in Social Indicators Research, found that 19% of adults experienced transportation insecurity in the past month. This figure compares with 16% for food insecurity and lower percentages for other hardships including unmet medical needs and housing insecurity.

Transportation issues have often been overlooked in discussions about material hardship due to the absence of a measurement tool. This changed with the introduction of the Transportation Security Index, a scientifically validated instrument developed by Alexandra Murphy, associate director of social science research at Mcity, along with Alix Gould-Werth and Jamie Griffin.

“Transportation insecurity makes it difficult for people to reach destinations critical to their well-being—like workplaces, health care providers, grocery stores and loved ones. This study shows that it’s not only common but deeply interconnected with other forms of hardship,” explained Murphy, who also holds positions at the Institute for Social Research and Poverty Solutions.

Collaborating with Natasha Pilkauskas from the Ford School of Public Policy and ISR’s Population Studies Center, the researchers examined nationally representative survey data from 2022. The study highlighted the comparison between transportation insecurity and other forms of hardship, as well as its impact on health.

The Transportation Security Index, funded initially by the Population Studies Center, captures experiences such as being late due to unreliable transportation or canceling trips. It has been endorsed by entities like the Minnesota Department of Transportation and will appear in the next wave of the Health and Retirement Study.

“The study revealed that adults with lower incomes, those with disabilities and people living in urban areas are especially vulnerable to transportation insecurity—and often simultaneously face other hardships,” stated Gould-Werth. The research indicated that transportation and food insecurity frequently co-occur and demographic groups affected by transportation insecurity are also disproportionately impacted by other hardships.

Potentially adverse health outcomes are linked to transportation insecurity, with affected adults being 6% more likely to report poor health and 11% more likely to report depressive symptoms. These associations are similar to those with food insecurity and unmet medical needs.

“This was the first study to consider the extent to which transportation insecurity is related to other forms of material hardship,” noted Pilkauskas. The research parallels findings on food insecurity, emphasizing transportation's importance in improving health and well-being nationwide.

A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, citing the Transportation Security Index, calls for wider usage of tools to measure transportation insecurity, reflecting increased recognition of this issue.

“Our approach mirrors the logic of the Food Security Index developed in the 1990s,” Murphy said, focusing on individual experiences of transportation insecurity rather than external factors like transportation mode or neighborhood.

The National Academies’ report also emphasizes a shift from infrastructure performance to whether transportation meets people’s needs, facilitating less obvious solutions.

As policymakers look to reduce poverty and enhance health, integrating transportation into the discussion is paramount, researchers assert. Addressing transportation alongside other hardships could be vital in meeting Americans’ escalating needs, as Murphy suggests consideration of whether improved transportation could help alleviate food insecurity or utility bill difficulties.

The research calls for a deeper understanding of how transportation insecurity interconnects with other material hardships, especially as rising living costs and potential cuts to government benefits impact millions.