According to recent research, nationally there are racial inequalities in commuting, and these inequalities are concentrated in large, segregated cities with mass transit systems. Greater Philadelphia is one such city: It is the nation's seventh-largest metropolitan area, one of the nation's most segregated urban areas, and has many transit users. And indeed, despite some convergence in commute times since 1980, Black commuters in Greater Philadelphia commuted 34 minutes more per week on average than White commuters as of 2019. This article reports the results of research on racialized differences in commuting outcomes for Greater Philadelphia and explains the context and drivers that likely play a role in perpetuating these differences.
This article appeared in the Third Quarter 2023 issue of Economic Insights. Download and read the full issue.
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