Cars are the preferred transportation in the USA because most of our cities have been designed to accommodate cars, and any other transportation options are secondary to that. Free, on-street parking represents a huge subsidy to automobile users that distorts transportation choices in favor of automobiles. Billions of dollars are spent building and maintaining inter-city and interstate motor vehicle infrastructure. Until the 1950s, the USA had a privately owned and operated passenger rail system that was the envy of the world. The ended with the development of the interstate highway system, funded by taxpayers. Municipal mass transit systems can address transportation needs when weather or physical limitations prevent non-motorized transport, at lower per-capita cost and producing less pollution and better energy efficiency than individual private motor vehicles.
Professor Donald Shoup published a thorough, readable analysis of this in his book "The High Cost of Free Parking."
https://www.amazon.com/High-Cost-Fre.../dp/193236496X