Too Many Metro Areas Are Still Failing to Connect Workers and Jobs

Most of the nation's metropolitan jobs are located near public transit options. According to a new report from the Brookings Institution, more than 75 percent of all jobs in the largest 100 metropolitan regions of the U.S. are located in areas served by transit. But those transit options aren't particularly good for most workers. Only 27 percent of all workers can access these jobs on transit within 90 minutes. It's a no-brainer that precious few of the other 73 percent are going to be willing to spend more than an hour and a half of bus rides and transfers to get to work every day.

U.S. metro areas have not been very good at creating connections between jobs and the workers who do them. This should be a concern to cities trying to stay competitive. It should also be a major concern to employers.