Americans prefer driving over walking for a two-mile trip
Core finding
Verasight surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from August 13 to 18, 2026. 65.0% of Americans would prefer to drive for a short trip, compared with 14.2% who would walk.
The trip specified is two miles. Cycling attracts 8.6%, buses 5.7% and subway travel 4.9%; these are preferences, not a record of actual trips.
Topline distribution
Americans prefer driving over walking for a two-mile trip.
If you were to travel two miles, what would be your preferred method of transportation?
n = 1,000 · Aug 13–18, 2026 · MoE ±3.2%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Aug 13–18, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.2% |
| Module | Verasight JSM and Quirk's Omnibus Survey |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/jsm-quirks-2026
If you were to travel two miles, what would be your preferred method of transportation?
Cite this question
JSM and Quirk's Omnibus Survey, fielded August 13-18, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.2%.