Public Transportation Ridership:
In 2006, Americans took 10.1 billion trips on public transportation -
the highest ridership level in 49 years.
34 million times each weekday, people board public transportation.
From 1995 through 2006, public transportation ridership increased by 30
percent, a growth rate higher than the 12 percent increase in US population
and higher than the 24 percent growth in use of the nation's highways over
the same period.
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.
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.
Each year, public transportation use saves the equivalent of 140,769 service
station tanker truck trips clogging our streets.
The typical public transit rider consumes, on average, one half of the
oil consumed by an automobile rider.
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.
Environmental Conservation:
Public transportation use can help reduce pollution and promote cleaner
air.
Public transportation produces 95 percent less carbon monoxide (CO), 90
percent less in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nearly 50 percent
less carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), per passenger mile than
private vehicles.
Energy-related carbon dioxide emissions represent 82 percent of total
U.S. man-made greenhouse emissions.
By reducing smog-producing pollutants and greenhouse gases and by conserving
ecologically sensitive lands and open spaces -- public transportation is
helping to meet national air quality standards.
Some of these pages may include links to documents in the Adobe PDF format. Please download the Adobe PDF reader if you have not already done so.
