Railroad Stimulus: How to Spend $14 Billion to Improve U.S. Rail
By S.E. Kramer for Popular Mechanics on April 9, 2009
The California High-Speed Rail Authority is betting on high-speed rail. The Authority is planning to build an 800-mile steel-wheel bullet train between San Francisco and Los Angeles. This new line is designed to make train travel as convenient as airplane travel, says Quentin L. Kopp, chairman of the Authority. The state's plans were designed "in the context of California having 50 million people by the year 2030," Kopp says. "The equivalent of what the high-speed rail will deliver would require 3000 new miles of freeway plus nine runways and 90 new gates at airports.
Lower Gas Prices Are Not Increasing Driving
By Jim Motavalli for the New York Times on March 11, 2009
Rose Sheridan, a vice president at the American Public Transportation Association, said that transit ridership grew by rates ranging from 3.42 to 6.52 percent in each of the first three quarters of 2008, but growth slowed to only 1.68 percent in the fourth quarter. She said "We think that many people who have recently taken public transit for the first time realize how much money they’re saving,” Ms. Sheridan said. “And so many of them have stuck with transit.”
Urban Areas See Revival in Housing Construction
By Haya El Nasser for USA Today on March 11, 2009
There was a consistent increase in housing in urban centers from 2002 to 2007. Changes in demographics, high gas prices and longer commutes on congested roads are generating more interest in smaller homes in urban settings.
"The development industry finally began to create the kind of in-town products that people were looking for,"says David Goldberg with Smart Growth America, a national coalition that advocates denser development to allow easy access to jobs and services on foot or mass transit. "It also reflects the investment that a lot of metro areas have made in rail transit systems."
Transit Use Hit Five-Decade High in 2008 as Gas Prices Rose
More people rode the nation’s public buses, subways and commuter trains last year than in any year since 1956, when the federal government created the Interstate highway system, according to a report by a transit association.
Americans took nearly 10.7 billion rides on public transportation in 2008, a 4 percent increase over the previous year, according to the report, by the American Public Transportation Association, a nonprofit organization that represents transit systems. Use of public transportation in the United States has risen 38 percent since 1995, the report said.
Public Transit Users Save More Than $8,400 Per Household Even With Dramatic Dip In Gas Prices
Even though the price of gas has continued to drop public transportation riders still enjoy a significant economic savings. A person can achieve an average annual savings of $8,416 per year by taking public transportation instead of driving, based on today’s gas prices and the average unreserved parking rate, according to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) “Transit Savings Report.”
Public Transit Ridership Surges in 2nd Quarter -- Almost 140 Million More Trips Taken Than 2007 Second Quarter
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced today that Americans took more than 2.8 billion trips on public transportation in the second quarter of 2008. This is almost 140 million more trips than last year for the same time period.
Eighty Five Percent of Public Transit Systems Experience Capacity Problems as Ridership Surges -- 65% of Public Transit Systems Report Insufficient Revenue to Operate Additional Service
With ridership on public transportation surging and high fuel prices severely impacting public transportation systems’ budgets across the nation, 85 percent of public transit systems report capacity problems, according to a new nationwide survey of transit systems released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit
By Clifford Kraus for the New York Times
Cities with long-established public transit systems and areas with a strong driving culture are both reporting increases in ridership of buses and trains.
Gas woes lead to mass transit surge
Rising gas prices are sending a surge of riders to take mass transit -- and systems are benefiting from the extra revenue. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
Paying at the Pump -- Record-Setting Gas Prices Are Squeezing U.S. Consumers
“NPR takes a look at how people across the country are coping with the gas crunch, the factors behind skyrocketing oil prices, what's being done to bring them back to earth and cost-cutting strategies to employ in the meantime.”
Gas prices rattle Americans
“Record high gas prices are prompting Americans to drive less for the first time in nearly three decades, squeezing family budgets and causing major shifts in driving habits, federal data and a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll show.”
Access to Bus and Rail Lines Reduces Driving by 4,400 Miles per Household, Saves 4.2 Billion Gallons of Gasoline and 37 Million Metric Tons of Carbon
The most energy efficient households in America that produce the least amount of carbon are located within close proximity of a bus or rail line. The people in those households drive an average of 4,400 fewer miles annually as compared to persons in similar households with no access to public transit, according to a new study released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Public Transportation
Programs For Seniors
2007 Final Report
Respondents to the survey submitted an array of “great ideas” and successful
programs related to topics such as driver training, special services, special trips,
reduced fares, travel training, and information and outreach. A number of
respondents also developed partnerships, collaborative processes and
coordination activities with aging organizations (area agencies on aging, senior
centers, adult day services), community service, and volunteer groups.
A ‘Green’ Rx to Save Carbon: City Density Plus Transit
Cars, trucks, and airplanes account for just 27 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Almost twice as much—48 percent—is produced by the construction and operation of buildings. Making existing buildings more energy efficient offers our earliest, biggest chances to cut greenhouse gas emissions, as well as creating lots of blue-collar jobs that can’t be shipped overseas.
Stung at the Pumps, More Hop on a Bus
D.C.'s Outlying Transit Systems Rush to Add Capacity; Metro Worried
By Lena H. Sun and Jonathan Mummolo
For The Washington Post
As some gas prices pass $4 a gallon, transit systems are experiencing significant ridership increases, and Metro officials caution that trains could be overwhelmed if prices go even higher. Officials are looking for ways to buy or lease more buses, expand parking, encourage employers to stagger work schedules and persuade current riders to avoid the peak of the morning rush period.
Our Aging Infrastructure: Voices for Change Mount Quickly
By Neal Peirce on March 23, 2008
The infrastructure issue—the long shadow thrown across America’s future by deteriorating roadways, bridges, railroads, water systems, and schools—finally seems to be getting hot.
Mass Transit, Road Repair Vie for Federal Dollars
Congressional Quarterly for March 24, 2008
Across the developing world, governments are pouring billions of dollars into projects to relieve stress on antiquated roads and reduce carbon emissions. Nations such as China and India are planning to spend between 8 and 9 percent of their gross domestic product on infrastructure upgrades and mass transit. In contrast, the United States now spends less than two percent of the nation's GDP on efforts to shore up its transportation infrastructure while also launching more efficient, congestion-relieving mass transit projects.
Opinion: Farsightedness at the Polls: It Can Happen, Returns Show
Can today’s Americans make wise choices for the futures of their communities? In a string of referendum votes across the country last week, glimpses of refreshing far-sightedness shone through.
Transit News Features
TTI Report: Urban Congestion Costs $78.2 Billion
The 2007 Urban Mobility Report describes how traffic congestion caused 4.2 billion hours of travel delay in 2005, which averages about 38 hours per driver... click here to read the full report.
The 50-Year Challenge
By Coral Davenport, CQ Staff
When people think about global warming they mostly think about burning coal and gasoline. However, burning limestone to create lime and concrete also releases a lot of carbon dioxide, and controlling the production of lime and concrete might raise prices all through the economy. Any law that regulates emissions of carbon, in fact, would reach into every corner of American life and virtually every aspect of the
economy.
Groundbreaking New Analysis:
Public Transportation Saves $6,200 Per Household, 1.4 Billion Gallons of Gasoline
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.
America's Most Expensive Commutes
It's often said that the trip to work can kill you. But if you live in Houston, what really takes a beating is your wallet. There, the average commuter spends 20.9% of his annual household costs on getting to work... More
What Turning Down the Heat Means for Travelers
Whenever possible, "choose public transportation ... to cut down on auto emissions—according to a Department of Energy report in 2003, motor gasoline "has been responsible for about 60 percent of U.S. carbon emissions over the last twenty years." If you rent a car, look for companies, such as EV Rental Cars, that specialize in hybrid electric vehicles." .... More...
The 'Humane Metropolis'--Are We Ready?
A metropolis is considered green if it fosters humans' connections to the natural world. "Nature in the city must be cultivated, like a garden, rather than ignored or subdued." .... More...
Americans Take More Than 10 Billion Trips on Public Transportation for the First Time in Almost Fifty Years
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) announced today that Americans took 10.1 billion trips on local public transportation in 2006 – the first time in 49 years. Over the last decade, public transportation’s growth rate outpaced the growth rate of the population and the growth rate of vehicle miles traveled on our nation’s highways.... More...
Eye on NY security -- New head of House Homeland Security says transit
safety funding should be top priority; vows to team with KingBy Carol Eisenberg Newsday January 30, 2007
Public Transportation Ridership Continued To Climb In 2006
7.8 billion trips taken on public transit in the first nine months – nearly 3% increase
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) today announced that public transportation ridership has increased by nearly 3% in the first nine months of 2006, as Americans took 7.8 billion trips on public transit.
“Even as gas prices declined, more and more people decided to ride public transportation as ridership grew by nearly 3% in the first nine months of 2006,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “This continued increase in transit ridership demonstrates that when people have transportation choices, they use them.”
Transportation Referenda
Score Big
Transportation scored high at the ballot box on Tuesday, winning
21 of 30 measures (3 still pending) totaling $40 billion in urban,
suburban, and rural communities across the nation... More...
NPR : Cities Lure White-Collar Workers Onto Buses
by Kathleen Schalch
All Things Considered, December 5, 2006 · Increasing numbers of commuters are using buses as a faster and cheaper way to get to work, new figures show. Urban municipalities are expanding bus services -- and adding features like wireless Internet access -- in an effort to target white-collar and business employees who might otherwise drive their cars.
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Opinion/Column -- Where
Do We Put The Next Hundred Million?
By Neal Peirce
WASHINGTON--"We've just passed the 300 million mark, evidence of
America's dynamism. But the only policy response has been to build
a $700 million wall along the Mexican border. How dumb!" More...
Subway Century -- Rail
Transit's Role in Growth and Development
"The subway has shaped New York City. More than any other public
works program or municipal project, the subway has shaped the city’s
development and sustained its global competitiveness over the past
100 years. The subway’s profound impact on the city’s growth and
development—particularly in the outer boroughs—surpasses that of
the city’s other widely acclaimed infrastructure projects, such
as the Brooklyn Bridge and Robert Moses’ highway network." More...
Administration Releases FY
2007 Budget Proposal The Bush Administration released its
Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Budget proposal, which recommends a funding
level of $8.87 billion for the federal transit program. The Administration's
proposal represents an increase of $370.3 million or 4.4 percent
over the FY 2006 final appropriation level. More...
American Public Transportation
Association (APTA) Statement On President Bush's Proposed FY 2007
DHS Budget
February 2, 2006
APTA is disappointed that President Bush's proposed FY 2007 Department
of Homeland Security (DHS) budget for the Targeted Infrastructure
Protection program, a security infrastructure program that includes
public transportation, freezes funding at the $600 million level
proposed last year...
Transit Ridership Showed Increases
in All Modes in 2005 Third Quarter
January 18, 2006
With high gas prices in the third quarter of 2005, national transit
ridership grew by 3.3 % from the same period in 2004, according
to a report released by the American Public Transportation Association
(APTA) today. At the same time that transit ridership was increasing
during the 2005 third quarter, Americans parked their cars and vehicle
miles of travel (VMT) decreased by 0.2%, according to the Federal
Highway Administration statistics. Additionally, a recent survey
of transit systems conducted by APTA indicates that this growing
ridership trend continued in November, despite a drop in gas prices
that month...
Beyond Pork Barrel: An Ingenious
New Way to Rebuild America
December 25, 2005
Opinion/Column By Neal Peirce — You have to wonder: If Katrina
and its multibillion-dollar bill to repair faulty levees haven't
awakened us to our massive national infrastructure deficit, what
will?
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