Companies located in the nation’s most productive regions need additional public transportation to reach their full employment potential, according to a recent APTA-commissioned report, The Role of Transit in Support of High Growth Business Clusters in the U.S.

The study examines the key high-growth and high-tech business clusters in the United States and analyzes the impact transportation access constraints have on eight areas. The report projects that by 2040, 480,000 new jobs representing $32 billion per year in income will be at risk due to congestion.

The eight areas featured in the report are the ‘Medline’ area in Atlanta, GA; Kendall Square in Boston, MA; Route 128 Technology Cluster in Burlington, MA; Mid-Town and South of Market, San Francisco, CA; ­Silicon Valley, CA; Deerfield, IL; Technology Center, Denver, CO; and South Lake Union, Seattle, WA.

“Public transportation provides the access to enable high-tech and high-growth industries to cluster in areas that can attract the talent they need, while avoiding the consequences of constrained growth,” said APTA President & CEO Michael Melaniphy. Public transit investment is a key ingredient in helping these firms enhance their productivity and compete on a global stage, he added.

The report, conducted by the Economic Development Research Corporation, was unveiled at a December event on Capitol Hill sponsored by the Congressional Public Transportation Caucus.

“This study shows that robust ­public transit is critical to our economy, especially in high-growth areas,” said Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL). Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY) agreed, saying that “it is readily apparent in New York City that public transit is vital to economic development.” “When you invest in public transit, you get back four times the benefit.”

The report notes a fundamental change in the U.S. economy. In the future, a disproportionate number of American jobs will be in knowledge-based industries that are most successful when firms locate near one another. As a result, these firms have specific location requirements and increasingly depend upon a workforce that wants a number of mobility options. Therefore, to optimize employment opportunity, public transportation investment will be a necessary ingredient.

The report is available here.