{"id":7542,"date":"2015-03-30T12:59:03","date_gmt":"2015-03-30T16:59:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myparkingsignblog.com\/blog\/?p=7542"},"modified":"2023-08-02T03:51:47","modified_gmt":"2023-08-02T07:51:47","slug":"pirg-ohio-millennials-want-transit-investment-not-highways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myparkingsign.com/blog\/pirg-ohio-millennials-want-transit-investment-not-highways\/","title":{"rendered":"PIRG: Ohio millennials want transit investment, not highways"},"content":{"rendered":"

Young Ohioans are opting for public transit over cars, and they\u2019re thinking about their time — and the environment. The Ohio PIRG Education Fund<\/a>, a consumer group, just released a study<\/a> of college students’ attitudes on driving and public transit. Turns out, millennials are “seeking a different transportation future, one that allows them to drive less and take transit, bike and walk more.” The status of public transit in Ohio is woeful — it ranks in the bottom 50% of the nation for per-capita transit funding — but the state can benefit by changing its policies and increasing funding.<\/p>\n

\"Ohio<\/a>

Image from Vasenka Photography<\/a>.<\/p><\/div>\n

The study, Searching For A Better Ride: Ohio Students Want to Live in Communities with Transportation Options<\/em>, draws on a survey of 500 students at 10 of Ohio’s state universities, both public and private, with the majority of respondents (94%) coming from Ohio State University, Kent University and Oberlin College. “While the survey did not employ a scientifically selected sample,” note study authors Sujatha Jahagirdar and Phineas Baxandall, “the results are consistent with those of other surveys\u2026 Today\u2019s young people view the availability of transportation choices as an important factor when selecting a place to live and work.”<\/p>\n

The study asked a few key questions: For one, “How important is it for students to live in a place with other transportation options besides driving?” 46%\u00a0of those surveyed said it was “very important,” while 40% said “somewhat important.” Students already <\/em>rely on alternative forms of transit; in fact, 45% of those with jobs surveyed said that they use public transit “very often” or “sometimes” for their commute. Plus, more respondents said that they walked, biked or took public transit — rather than driving — to class.<\/p>\n

Why are millennials becoming disenchanted with cars? They’re concerned about the costs of driving (think: gas, repairs, insurance, parking and maintenance), plus they’re interested in spending their commuting time in ways other than driving. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed, notes the study, said that “it is important for them to engage in other activities while traveling, which is a key benefit afforded by public transportation use.”<\/p>\n

Students are also concerned about the environmental impact of cars, like pollution, global warming and smog: 53%\u00a0of students surveyed said they were very concerned, with 91% being “somewhat concerned” or “very concerned.” But even those who do drive or ride in cars say that they’d be more likely to take transit instead, were it more accessible: 52% said they’d be “very likely” to do so.<\/p>\n

What does this mean for Ohio, as well as for other states seeking to attract top young talent? A diverse\u00a0transportation mix\u00a0would be a top quality-of-life feature that\u00a0attracts millennials to live and work in the area. The study suggests that policymakers should:<\/p>\n