Transportation News

 Congress considering near $2B help for public transportation in response to high gas costs

Without sufficient alternatives to driving, American families spent their entire economic stimulus check on high-priced gas. According to new analysis from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, since President Bush signed the tax rebates into law on February 13th, the average household spent over $1500 filling their tanks. Gas costs were higher than average in areas without robust public transportation.

On Thursday, the US House of Representatives will vote on a bill to approve additional funding for public transportation as an alternative to high gas prices.   

“If Congress wants to do something long-term about high gas prices, it will give people more alternatives to driving,” said US PIRG staff attorney John Krieger, “Unless we make it easier to drive less, American families will be stuck in neutral as they spend more and more at the pump.”

According to Squandering the Stimulus, which US PIRG will release in 24 cities Wednesday morning, since President Bush signed the tax rebates into law, the average cost per household for gasoline has gone from just over $60 weekly to almost $100 per week. Americans have responded to higher gas costs by taking public transportation at record rates in areas where it is available. American drivers traveled fewer miles last year for the first time in almost thirty years. 

Transit agencies have struggled to keep up with the increased ridership volume. The Saving Energy through Transportation Act (HR 6052) would authorize close to 2 billion dollars to allow public transit agencies across the country to reduce fares and to expand services. The bill was introduced by Representatives Oberstar and Mica earlier this spring and has the support of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. 

Analysis by U.S. PIRG shows that public transportation created net oil savings totaling 3.4 billion gallons in 2006. This is enough to fuel 5.8 million cars for an entire year and to save about $13.6 billion in gasoline at today’s prices.

Additional US PIRG-released analysis, which was generated by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), also shows that neighborhoods around the country with the best access to transit spent an average of $728 monthly on all transportation costs based on 2000 Census data, including gas, insurance, upkeep, and transit fares. Households in neighborhoods with the least access to transit, by contrast, spent an average of $925 per month. http://htaindex.cnt.org