Fueling a Crisis: Gas Prices, Affordability, and the Future of Transportation

By Emily Kennedy, Transportation Planner

As gas prices soared to record highs across the U.S following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many governors and lawmakers began calling upon Congress to suspend gas taxes to provide relief to motorists.

But maybe this is a perfect moment to start thinking past the pump.

Already, there's some divide over slashing gas taxes. Governors in a half-dozen states have sent a joint letter to congressional leaders urging they support legislation suspending the federal government's 18.4-cent-a-gallon gas tax through the end of the year. Many states, including New York, have proposed or enacted temporary gas tax suspensions. But environmental and transit advocates are wary, saying such a change could strip needed tax dollars meant for infrastructure and transit repairs.

For those in transit-rich cities such as New York, the increase in gas prices is the perfect opportunity for transit agencies to lure back riders in force, after bus and subway travel waned during the COVID-19 pandemic and many cities drastically cut services to try to avoid financial disaster.

Instead of cutting gas taxes, now is the time to direct gas tax revenue to sustainable transit options. Those ideas should include returning to pre-pandemic public transit schedules, expanding bike networks, offering people who leave their cars at home prepaid transit cards or fare-free transit, and investing in transit infrastructure, especially near lower and moderate income housing.

Admittedly, boosting ridership won't help everyone. Seventy-six percent of Americans commute by car. Households with low incomes, disproportionately people of color, are the hardest hit by the rising cost of filling up their tank.

While it would be nice if Americans could quickly shift away from cars toward other options such as walking, biking, and public transportation, the reality is that most Americans live in communities where those options are not reliable or convenient. They have little choice but to continue driving and spending more.

As we mark another Earth Day, the ever-deepening climate crisis underscores the need to focus our attention on the role fuel and transportation plays in worsening it.

Global emissions of carbon dioxide, which contribute most to climate change, are at their highest levels in history, after a brief dip due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the planet is warming so quickly, it is outpacing humanity’s ability to adapt.

The transportation sector is the single largest source of greenhouse gas in the United States, contributing to 29% of the nation's total emissions. The majority of these emissions come from driving.

As we face a global climate crisis, to which the U.S. has contributed greatly, this country has an obligation to shift our transportation methods.

Rather than drilling more oil to prolong our addiction to cars, never before have we had such a good reason to double down on the clean transportation transition. We have an opportunity to focus on solutions that offer Americans something that has been far from attainable for decades, the ability to live in a city without the need to rely on a car.

But this switch won’t happen overnight. Places most conducive to walking, biking and transit are also in the nation's highest cost of living cities, out of reach for many lower income Americans.

In order to give people real alternatives to driving, policymakers should look to cities such as Chicago, which has provided up to 100,000 prepaid transit cards worth $50 each, and to Connecticut, where fare-free transit will be offered to all users April 1 through June 30.

Another inspiring precedent was set by Boston, which prior to the gas price surge, eliminated fares on three major bus routes through some of the most transit-dependent neighborhoods. This was part of the city’s plan toward creating a just and equitable transition to a zero-emission economy, prioritizing the city’s lowest-income residents.

In addition to funding and subsidizing transit, cities could work to expand micromobility systems by increasing access to shared options, such as bike and scooter share, and funding new infrastructure, including dedicated lanes and bike and scooter parking.

An innovative Clean Mobility for Clunkers program also has been proposed by researchers like Yonah Freemark, allowing consumers to trade-in older gas vehicles for a credit toward buying a new or used electric vehicle, e-bike, annual transit or micro-mobility pass, or a combination of these options.

Admittedly, these solutions are only a start.

As we look toward the future, we must plan for land use and transportation together to ensure reliable, sustainable transit service within walking distance to as many homes and jobs as possible.

This means locating fast and frequent public transit near stable and affordable housing, switching from gas-powered to zero-emission electric buses, and creating safe and connected bicycle networks. Once we achieve this, perhaps we will move closer to a better climate future, and not only get people where they need to go quickly, but make the journey better.