The bar chart illustrates the main reasons for travel among US residents in 2009, while the pie chart highlights the key issues faced by the travelling public during the same period.
Overall, the majority of trips were made for commuting to and from work, and the most significant concern for travelers was the cost of travel. Other purposes for travel and issues related to safety, congestion, and infrastructure were relatively less prominent.
Looking at the bar chart, nearly half of all trips (49%) were undertaken for commuting purposes, making it the dominant reason for travel. Personal reasons accounted for 19% of trips, followed by shopping, which made up 16%. In contrast, only 10% of trips were made for social or recreational activities, while visits to friends and relatives were the least common purpose at just 6%.
Turning to the pie chart, the cost of travel emerged as the most pressing concern, with 36% of travelers citing it as their primary issue. Safety concerns were the second most reported problem, affecting 19% of the traveling population. Aggressive driving and highway congestion were also significant issues, accounting for 17% and 14%, respectively. Finally, access to public transport and space for pedestrians were the least concerning factors, with 8% and 6% of respondents highlighting these as major issues.
In summary, commuting to work was by far the most common reason for travel in the US in 2009, and financial considerations were the foremost concern among travelers, followed by safety and traffic-related problems.