We live in a world where self-driving cars are now a reality. The future is certainly among us, and even though we still don’t have flying cars,we have made quite a bit of progress in terms of transportation over the past few centuries.

We’ve come a long way, having evolved through the various stages of public transportation, including animal-drawn wagons, powered trains, and cars. Why do certain states have better public transportation than others? Why are some cities considered “walking cities?” We’re breaking down transportation funding by state below.

Transportation Funding by State

The transportation systems of every state, and every individual city, is quite varied from one another. In addition, even within a single state like California, you can have two distinct cities that consist of two very different forms of transportation.

San Francisco and Los Angeles, for example, are both major cities in the state of California. San Francisco, however, is considered a “walking city,” a city where going from one end to the other is relatively easy, especially with their sophisticated manually operated cable car system. Los Angeles, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of that. It’s a city known for its traffic jams, crowded freeways, and the fact that you need a car if you want to get across town.

The National Governors Association notes that the majority of state spending in the United States on highway transportation in 2007 totaled over $100 billion. In addition, states are increasingly coming up with their own plans for raising additional transportation revenue.

If one thing is inherently clear, it’s that you can’t quite rely on transportation funding by state. In a city like Los Angeles, and many other comparable cities, people need their own forms of transportation. In fact, for many, having a car is a big part of how they commute to work and earn a living. So, what do these people do when public transportation is an issue in their state?They rely on other means and depend on their cars. They explore other options of commuting.

We live in a time where the world around us is constantly evolving. We’ve never lived in such tumultuous times. In the same way that you can receive business loans, many states receive transportation funding.

We may have come a long way but we still have a long road ahead of us. It’s an exciting time for us all.