Background
Charlotte-Mecklenburg faces one of the steepest transportation challenges in the nation. With an average one-way commute of 28.3 minutes — the second longest in the U.S. — transportation has emerged as both a barrier and a potential driver of economic mobility.
The Opportunity Taskforce Report identifies access to reliable transportation as critical to improving economic mobility. Efficient, affordable, and connected transit systems not only link people to jobs, schools, and services — they also shape long-term economic outcomes for children and families.
Evidence Linking Transportation and Mobility
Commute Time and Upward Mobility: Economist Raj Chetty’s 2018 research found that children raised in areas with short commutes (under ~15 minutes) tend to earn more as adults. Reducing local commute times in association with other aspects of opportunity zones were predictive of a 7% increase in adult income, making it one of the most powerful predictors of future economic success.
Education Access and Attendance: In Minneapolis, a pilot program offering free bus and light rail passes to students reduced absenteeism by 23% after controlling demographics (Fan & Das, 2015).
Support for Single Parents: Single parents are more likely to rely on public transit (Wang & Xu, 2020). Without reliable, frequent service, transportation challenges compound the difficulty of managing work, childcare, and household responsibilities.
Labor Market Benefits: In New York City, neighborhoods with strong public transit access had an unemployment rate of 8.1%, compared to 12.6% in poorly served areas (Kaufman et al., 2015). In Indianapolis, a study of public transit found that increasing accessibility of public transit would have a significant impact on lower-income individuals particularly because of the high concentration of jobs with “good pay” in the downtown area.
Economic Returns: Nationally, every $1 billion invested in public transit yields $5 billion in GDP and creates ~49,700 jobs (American Public Transportation Association, 2020).
Challenges in Charlotte
Spatial Mismatch: Many job centers are in opportunity-rich areas poorly connected to transit-dependent neighborhoods.
Limited Connectivity: Long travel times and indirect routes limit access to employment, education, healthcare, and childcare.
Affordability and Reliability: Gaps in affordable, frequent service can push low-income residents toward costly or unreliable alternatives.
Policy Recommendations
- Invest in High-Frequency, High-Capacity Transit Corridors
- Prioritize routes linking low-opportunity neighborhoods with job centers, educational institutions, and childcare hubs.
- Reduce Commute Times to Under 15 Minutes for Key Areas
- Apply Chetty’s findings by targeting infrastructure and scheduling improvements to shorten travel times.
- Expand Transit Access for Youth and Vulnerable Populations
- Implement free or reduced-fare programs for students, single parents, and low-income workers.
- Integrate Housing and Transportation Planning
- Co-locate affordable housing near high-opportunity transit nodes to reduce “spatial mismatch.”
- Measure and Report on Transit Equity Impacts
- Use an equity lens to track how investments affect access to opportunity by race, income, and geography.
Conclusion
Charlotte’s transportation challenges are not just about congestion — they are about opportunity. By passing the transportation referendum and implementing the mobility plan, Charlotte-Mecklenburg can reduce commute times, improve economic outcomes, and unlock the potential of its residents.