Skyrocketing gas prices are doing what public policy and consumer campaigns have been unable to do for decades: get people to use public transport.
In the first three months of 2008, 2.6 billion trips were taken on public transportation in the U.S., a 3% increase over the first quarter of 2007, according to the American Public Transportation Association. [...]
Meanwhile, the number of miles driven on American roads fell slightly last year — from 3.014 trillion to 3.003 trillion, according to the Federal Highway Administration. It was the first time since 1980 that the figure had not increased. The drop has continued this year.
In some cities the increase in public transport use is huge. Seattle for example saw a 28% jump in commuter rail passengers. Many transit systems aren’t ready to deal with the increase and although some are receiving additional vehicles ordered before the onslaught of the recession, many can’t afford to expand.
Cynthia Staab, assistant general manager of Tulsa Transit in Oklahoma, said demand is at record levels, but there is no money for more buses. “The city of Tulsa just has a lot of needs,” she said. “We compete with police and fire in the general fund.”
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