The baseline
Most state hubs describe the same reality: driving is the default, transit is concentrated in the largest one or two cities, and the recurring costs are registration, inspection where required, and insurance.
Trend analysis · Transportation
Transportation Report 2026
Car dependence, transit reach and the true cost of getting around.
Published Apr 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 6, 2026 · 8 min read
Editorial details
Author
Daniel Okafor
Senior Careers Writer
Reviewer
Elena Marsh
Editorial Director
Published
Apr 22, 2026
Version 1.0
Last reviewed
Jul 6, 2026
8 min read
Editor's review: Commute times and ridership are planned measures, not published values.
Key findings
What the data shows
- Outside a handful of metros, a vehicle plus state-compliant insurance is the practical baseline.
- Transit quality is a metro fact, so state-level transport scores are structural proxies only.
- Registration, inspection and insurance together form a recurring cost most newcomers underestimate.
The report
Why most of the United States is built around driving, and where that is changing.
Data visuals
Charts and tables
Every visual states whether it is derived from published US360 data or a labelled placeholder, and every chart can be read as a data table.
- Texas74 / 100
- California73 / 100
- Florida60.8 / 100
- New York51.8 / 100
- Ohio51 / 100
- Pennsylvania50.5 / 100
- Illinois50 / 100
- Georgia48.8 / 100
View as data table
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Texas | 74 / 100 |
| California | 73 / 100 |
| Florida | 60.8 / 100 |
| New York | 51.8 / 100 |
| Ohio | 51 / 100 |
| Pennsylvania | 50.5 / 100 |
| Illinois | 50 / 100 |
| Georgia | 48.8 / 100 |
Derived from the published US360 state dataset. A structural proxy, not a transit quality measure.
Sources
Where this data comes from
US360 never presents a third-party statistic as its own. Each source below is labelled by origin.
- Official federal agency
Federal Highway Administration
Commuting and road context.
Open source - US360 editorial analysis
US360 state dataset
Per-hub transport narrative.
Limitations
- No commute time or ridership figure is published in this edition.
Download center
Files, versions and dates
Each file carries its version number and publication date. Files are prepared by the research desk and released with the report edition.
- Transportation Report 2026PDF report · v1.0 · Apr 22, 2026Preparing
Corrections & versions
What changed, and when
Version history
- v1.0 — Apr 22, 2026First publication.
Corrections
No corrections have been issued for this report. Corrections are always published here with the date and what changed.
Related rankings
Compare the states behind it
Transportation Rankings
Where can you live with less driving?
- 1Texas74
- 2California73
- 3Florida60.8
US360 analysis of published data
Trust & transparency
How to read US360 research
How reports are created
A researcher drafts from the shared state dataset, a second researcher recomputes every composite, and an editor reviews the wording before publication.
How data is verified
A measure only enters a ranking when the same field exists for all 51 hubs. Anything partial stays a labelled placeholder.
When reports are updated
Annual reports are re-published yearly with a mid-year review. Rankings recompute with the dataset and are reviewed at least twice a year.
Known limitations
State-level figures cannot describe a specific city or neighbourhood, and several important measures are still unsourced. Each report lists its own limits.
Corrections process
Corrections are published on the report page with the date and the change, and the version history records what moved.
Reader feedback
Anyone can flag a figure through the contact page. Flagged figures are re-checked before the next review date.
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