Many travelers arriving in the United States with visions of efficient metro systems and timely buses quickly confront a stark reality: outside a few major urban centers, public transportation is often unreliable, infrequent, or simply nonexistent. Recent updates by Google Maps—including expanded Amtrak route details and scenic line information—highlight incremental improvements, but these changes barely address the systemic challenges plaguing American transit.

The root of the problem lies in decades of car-centric urban planning. Unlike countries with dense, centralized cities designed around mass transit, U.S. infrastructure prioritizes highways and suburban sprawl. Privately operated transit networks, struggling with profitability, were largely abandoned by the mid-20th century. While government agencies later took over, chronic underfunding and low ridership perpetuated a cycle of inadequate service.

From the 1950s onward, federal investments overwhelmingly favored interstate highways over rail or bus networks. Zoning laws encouraged single-family homes and dispersed commercial zones, making walkable neighborhoods rare. The result: buses and trains serve limited corridors, often with hour-long wait times, while vast suburban and rural areas lack any meaningful coverage.

Efforts like the Google Maps update—while useful for tourists exploring Amtrak’s scenic routes—do little to resolve core issues. Aging infrastructure, inconsistent funding, and political resistance to reallocating road space hinder progress. Cities that have invested in light rail or bus rapid transit, such as Portland or Seattle, show promise, but these remain exceptions.

Experts argue that meaningful change requires sweeping policy shifts: dedicated transit funding, zoning reforms to increase density, and integrated regional planning. Without such measures, the U.S. will continue to lag behind global peers in accessibility, sustainability, and equitable mobility.