Media Advisory

June 17, 2008

APTA contact:

Virginia Miller
(202) 496-4816
vmiller@apta.com

(Download In Adobe PDF format)

On June 19, people across the country will “dump the pump” and ride public transportation on the Third Annual National Dump the Pump Day.  This event is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and more than 125 public transportation systems will be participating nationwide.

The 2008 National Dump the Pump Day is a public awareness day that emphasizes how public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices.  It is a national day for people to ride a bus or a train instead of driving a car and it highlights the importance of having a good public transportation system not only to save money, but to help combat climate change.

“With gas prices higher than ever and financial concerns affecting everyone, now is the time to save money and ride public transportation,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “The National Dump the Pump Day on June 19 is an opportunity for people across the country to make a difference in their wallet, as well as in the environment.” 

This year APTA has provided a calculator that will help people find out how much they can save by riding public transportation.  Click on www.publictransportation.org  to use the calculator.

Public transportation systems are participating in a variety of ways.  Some public transit systems are offering free or reduced rides; holding contests with giveaways such as free transit passes; and providing “transit ambassadors” to help new riders.

Last year 10.3 billion trips were taken on public transportation in the United States.  This was a 50-year high, marking a modern ridership record.  Public transportation use is up 32 percent since 1995--more than double the growth rate of the population (15 percent).

The number of participating public transportation agencies is growing every day.  Below is the current list of agencies participating in the 2008 National Dump the Pump Day.

• Akron, OH – Metro Regional Transit Authority
• Alameda, CA - Alameda-Oakland Ferry
• Albany, NY - Capital District Transportation Authority
• Ames, IA - CyRide
• Ann Arbor, MI – Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
• Antioch, CA - Tri Delta Transit
• Arlington Heights, IL – PACE Suburban Bus
• Atlanta, GA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
• Attleboro, MA – Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority
• Austin, TX – Capital Metro
• Austin, TX – South West Transit Association
• Baltimore, MD - Maryland Transit Administration
• Battle Creek, MI - Battle Creek Transit
• Birmingham, AL - Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority
• Boston, MA – Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
• Bremerton, WA – Kitsap Transit
  Buffalo, NY - Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
• Butler, PA - Butler Transit Authority
• Cecil County, MD - Cecil County Government/Cecil County Senior Services & Community Transit
• Charleston, SC – Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority
• Chester County, PA – Transportation Management Association of Chester County
• Clemson, SC – Clemson Area Transit
• Cloverdale, CA – Cloverdale Transit
• Columbus, OH – Central Ohio Transit Authority
• Contra Costa, CA – County Connection
• Contra Costa, CA – Western Contra Costa Transportation Authority
• Contra Costa, CA - Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority
• Delaware County, OH - Delaware Area Transit Agency
• Denver, CO – The Regional Transportation District
• Detroit, MI - Detroit Department of Public Transportation
• Edgartown, MA - Martha's Vineyard Regional Transit Authority
• El Paso, TX – Sun Metro
• Everett, WA – Community Transit
• Everett, WA – Everett Transit
• Fairfield, CA - Fairfield/Suisun Transit
• Flint, MI – Massachusetts Transportation Authority
• Fort Wayne, IN - Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corp.
• Fort Worth, TX – Fort Worth Transportation Authority
• Fort Wright, KY – Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky
• Gainesville, GA - Hall Area Transit
• Healdsburg, CA – Healdsburg Transit
• Hernando County, FL – THE Bus/The Hernando Express
• Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority
• Indianapolis, IN - IndyGo
• Jefferson Parish, LA – Jefferson Transit
• Johnstown, PA – Cambria County Transit Authority
• Kalamazoo, MI – Kalamazoo Metro Transit
• Kansas City, MO - Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
• Lafayette, IN – CityBus of Greater Lafayette
• Lancaster, PA – Red Rose Transit Authority
• Lawrence, KS – Lawrence Transit System
• Lebanon, PA – County of Lebanon Transit Authority
• Laredo, TX – El Metro
• Lewisville, TX – Denton County Transportation Authority
• Lexington, KY – Transit Authority of Lexington
• Lindenwold, NJ - Port Authority Transit Corporation
• Long Island, NY – MTA Long Island Rail Road
• Long Island, NY – MTA Long Island Bus
• Los Angeles, CA – LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Louisville, KY - Transit Authority of River City
• Marin County, CA – Marin County Transit
• Miami, FL – Miami-Dade Transit
• Miami, FL – South Florida Regional Transportation Authority
• Modesto, CA - Modesto Area Express
• Muncie, IN - Muncie Indiana Transit System
• Napa, CA – American Canyon Shuttle   
• Napa, CA – St. Helena Shuttle
• Napa, CA - Yountville Shuttle
• New Jersey - New Jersey Transit
• New York, NY – Metropolitan Transportation Authority
• Norfolk, VA – Hampton Roads Transit
• Oakland, CA – AC Transit
• Oakland, CA – Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
• Oakland, CA - San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
• Olympia/Thurston County, WA - Intercity Transit
• Orange, CA - Orange County Transportation Authority 
• Orlando, FL - Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority LYNX
• Parksley, VA –Star Transit
• Peoria, IL - Greater Peoria Mass Transit District
• Petaluma, CA - Petaluma Transit
• Pittsburgh, PA - Port Authority of Allegheny County
• Pompano Beach, FL – Broward County Transit
• Port Angeles, WA- Clallam Transit System
• Port Huron, MI – Blue Water Area Transit
• Reading, PA - Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority
• Research Triangle, NC –Triangle Transit
• Richland, WA - Ben Franklin Transit
• Richmond, VA – GRTC Transit System
• Rio Vista, CA - Rio Vista Delta Breeze
• Riverside, CA – Riverside Transit Agency
• Salisbury, MD – Shore Transit
• San Antonio, TX - VIA Metropolitan Transit
• San Bernardino, CA – Omnitrans 
• San Carlos, CA – Caltrain
• San Carlos, CA - SamTrans
• San Diego, CA - Metropolitan Transit System
• San Francisco, CA - Altamont Commuter Express
• San Francisco, CA - Golden Gate Transit & Ferry
• San Francisco, CA - San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
• Santa Clara, CA - Dumbarton Express
• Santa Clara, CA – Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority
• Santa Fe, NM – New Mexico Park and Ride
• Santa Rosa, CA - Santa Rosa CityBus
• Santa Rosa, CA - Sonoma County Transit
• Savannah, GA - Chatham Area Transit Authority
• Scotrun, PA – Monroe County Transit Authority
• Seattle, WA – King County Metro
• Seattle, WA – Sound Transit
• South Bend, IN - South Bend Public Transportation Corporation
• Springfield, MO - City Utilities Transit
• St. Louis, MO - Metro
• St. Petersburg, FL - Pinellas
• Tacoma. WA – Pierce Transit
• Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Transit
• Union City, CA – Union City Transit
• Vacaville, CA - Vacaville City Coach
• Vallejo, CA - Benicia Breeze
• Vallejo, CA - Vallejo Transit and Baylink Ferry
• Volusia County, FL - Voltran
• Washington, DC - Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
• West Covina, CA – Foothill Transit
• West Palm Beach, FL – Palm Tran
• Western Ventura County, CA - Gold Coast Transit
• Winchester, VA – Winchester City Transit
• Woodbridge, VA – Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission
• York, PA – Rabbit Transit

Coalition, Business Participants, and Public Transportation Associations include:

• Ardmore Coalition (Ardmore, PA)
• Arizona Transit Association
• California Association for Coordinated Transportation
• Easter Seals (Washington, DC)
• Kansas City Transportation Association
• Michigan Public Transit Association
• Missouri Public Transit Association
• Ohio Public Transit Association
• Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association
• South West Transit Association
• Texas Transit Association
• TMA Bucks
• Transportation Association of Maryland
• Transportation Management Association (Pennsylvania)
• Virginia Transit Association

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FACTS FOR NATIONAL DUMP THE PUMP DAY

Public Transportation Ridership:

• In 2007, Americans took 10.3 billion trips on public transportation - the highest ridership level in 50 years.

• 34 million times each weekday, people board public transportation.

• Since 1995 public transportation ridership is up 32 percent.

Energy Conservation - Reducing National Dependence on Foreign Oil:

• Each year, public transportation use in the U.S. saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline. This represents almost 4 million gallons of gasoline per day.

• The “leverage effect” of public transportation, supporting transportation efficient land use patterns, saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline – more than three times the amount of gasoline refined from the oil we import from Kuwait.

• Public transportation use saves the equivalent of 300,000 fewer automobile fill-ups every day - 108 million fewer cars filling up annually.

• Each year, public transportation use saves the equivalent of 34 supertankers of oil, or a supertanker leaving the Middle East every 11 days.

Individual Cost Savings:

• Public transportation provides an affordable, and for many, necessary alternative to driving.

• Each year public transportation households save over $1,399 worth of gas.

• Transit availability can reduce the need for an additional car, a yearly expense of $6,251 in a household budget.

• The average household spends 18 cents per dollar on transportation, and 94 percent of this goes to buying, maintaining and operating cars.

• Americans living in areas served by public transportation save $18 billion annually in congestion costs.

Public Transportation Reduces Greenhouse Gases and Conserves Energy:

• The “leverage effect” of public transportation reduces the nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually – equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households. To achieve similar reduction in carbon emissions, every household in New York City, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Denver and Los Angeles combined would have to completely stop using electricity.

• People living in households within one-quarter mile of rail and one-tenth of a mile from a bus stop drive approximately 4,400 fewer miles annually as compared to persons in similar households with no access to public transit. This equates to an individual household reduction of 223 gallons of gasoline a year.

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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.

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