October 1, 2008
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The Honorable Samuel W. Bodman
Secretary
United States Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20585
Dear Secretary Bodman:
I write on behalf of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and its 1,500 member organizations to urge you to consider the fuel needs of public transportation providers as you work to mitigate any disruptions in our nation's fuel supply. APTA urges the Department of Energy (DOE) to consider taking action to ensure that public transportation systems receive a sufficient supply of fuel, primarily diesel fuel, during periods of diminished fuel availability. This is particularly important in the areas where fuel delivery has been affected by Hurricane Ike, but it is important around the country as well. If transit systems do not have access to a steady supply of fuel, they cannot meet the high level of demand for transit services.
We have witnessed sweeping changes in American travel patterns in 2008 in response to rising fuel prices, and public transportation is playing a key role in helping individuals escape the heavy burden of $4 a gallon gasoline while preserving the mobility we have all come to expect. In the second quarter of 2008 as the price of gasoline rose steadily, Americans took more than 2.8 billion trips on public transportation vehicles. This is almost 140 million more trips than last year for the same time period or 1.5 million more each day.
APTA’s member transit systems are working hard to meet the increased demand for their services, but they face many difficulties. As ridership has increased, transit facilities across the country are often operating at capacity during peak travel times. We recently conducted a survey of U.S. transit systems to determine how increased ridership and rising fuel prices have impacted transit operations. We found that six out of ten (63 percent) of transit systems that participated in the survey are experiencing capacity problems in the peak period, and almost four out of ten (39 percent) report they are now turning away passengers. If transit systems face the added burden of unstable fuel supplies, their ability to provide quality services will be severely diminished.
Transit services are important not only for the individuals and families that ride public transportation, they are important when we consider the urgent need for the United States to attain energy independence. By reducing travel and congestion on roadways and supporting more efficient land use patterns, transit saves the U.S. 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline each year, the equivalent of more than 11 million gallons per day. That amount of savings is equivalent to oil refined from 102 supertankers, or more than three times the amount of oil we import from Kuwait each year.
The mobility benefits and energy savings from public transportation contribute greatly to our national and economic security, and we urge DOE to make certain that transit providers receive a sufficient supply of fuel when fuel supplies are disrupted. If you have questions regarding these matters, please have your staff contact Homer Carlisle of APTA's Government Affairs Department, at (202) 496-4810 or email hcarlisle@apta.com.
Sincerely,
William W. Millar
President
American Public Transportation Association
WWM/tjj
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