Groundbreaking New Analysis: Public Transportation Saves $6,200 Per Household, 1.4 Billion Gallons of Gasoline

January 9, 2007

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WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released a groundbreaking new study finding that public transportation use saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline every year, and can reduce household expenses by $6,200 - more than the average household pays for food in a year.

"This should be a wake-up call as Congress and the President discuss how America can move towards energy independence," said APTA President William W. Millar. "Public transportation provides Americans with greater freedom, access, opportunity and choice. Ridership is up over 25 percent since 1995, because Americans knew instinctively that it saves money and gasoline. Now we know exactly how much."

The study, "Public Transportation and Petroleum Savings in the U.S.: Reducing Dependence on Oil," was prepared for APTA by ICF International. It finds that:

" Public transportation usage reduces U.S. gasoline consumption by 1.4 billion gallons each year - or the equivalent of 108 million cars filling up, almost 300,000 each day. These savings result from the efficiency of carrying multiple passengers in each vehicle; the reduction in traffic congestion from fewer automobiles on the roads; and the varied sources of energy for public transportation. If twice as many Americans had the choice of taking public transportation, these gasoline savings would at least double to 2.8 billion gallons each year.

" Households that are likely to use public transportation on a given day save over $6,200 every year, compared to a household with no access to public transportation service. These households have two workers, one car and are within three-quarters of a mile of public transportation.

"Who says there's no such thing as a free lunch?" Millar said. "According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average U.S. household spends $5,781 on food - and people who are likely to take public transportation can easily save more than that in a year."

"As the new Congress begins working on energy legislation, we call on them to make sure that public transportation plays a central role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil," Millar said.

The full report is available online at Public Transportation and Petroleum Savings in the U.S.: Reducing Dependence on Oil and www.publictransportation.org.