Commuting

For the past century, urban and suburban areas have increased exponentially in population. This growth, coupled with these communities' high cost of living and many families' concurrent desire to live within traveling distance of cultural and entertainment opportunities, has made commuting a ubiquitous part of contemporary life. Commuting alters how cities are constructed and marketed to potential community members. It also affects regulation of both personal and public transportation. Increased awareness of global warming and economic and planning concerns has caused commuting to become part of the public consciousness. Commuting is more complex, however, than carpooling, high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, mass transit, and light rail. Indeed, the necessity for and various forms of commuting may be viewed as the result of a number of subtle and intertwined ...