"First, employees didn’t have to bear the full financial cost of car commuting" They don't bear the full financial cost of transit commuting either, since tran

"First, employees didn’t have to bear the full financial cost of car commuting" They don't bear the full financial cost of transit commuting either, since transit is heavily subsidized. Here is where someone will say "but roads are subsidized." Of course they are. However, those who drive their own vehicles bear the full cost of the capital asset they use (that is, the car). Transit systems recover only a portion of their operating cost - and NONE of their capital cost - from fares. Despite the big operating cost, capital cost, and opportunity cost of driving (that is, while driving one has to drive, but while commuting on transit, someone can sometimes do something else like read) people still like to drive. The reason is that for many people driving is a far superior mode of transportation. You couldn't pay them to take transit.