APTA charts individual savings from public transit use
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefThe American Public Transportation Association Tuesday said public transit users “can save on average $9,242 annually based on the January 11, 2010 national average gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate.”
APTA noted the computation factored in that “the average cost per gallon of gas was $1.79 which is nearly $1 less than the current price of gas at $2.75 per gallon. This increase in cost equates to an additional $600 in savings per year for transit commuters as compared to last year’s savings amount at this same time.”
APTA said “The Transit Savings Report,” which it releases monthly, calculates the average annual and monthly savings for public transit users. The report examines how an individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car.
Transit riders can save on average $770 per month. The savings amount isbased on the cost of the national averages for parking and driving, as well as the January 11 national average gas price of $2.75 per gallon for self-serve regular gasoline as reported by AAA.
Taking public transportation provides a safe and affordable way for individuals and families to cut costa, APTA says. In addition, local public transit offers a travel option that has an immediate positive impact in reducing an individual’s overall carbon footprint while helping reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.
The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a downtown business district is $154.23, according to the 2009 Colliers International Parking Rate Study. Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can amount to an average of$1,850.
APTA also ranked the top 20 cities with the highest transit ridership, based ontransit savings based on the purchase of a monthly public transit pass andfactoring in local gas prices for January 11, 2010 and the local monthly unreserved parking rate.
No. City Monthly Savings Annual Savings
1 New York $1,147 $13,765
2 Boston $1,030 $12,362
3 San Francisco $1,013 $12,156
4 Chicago $946 $11,357
5 Seattle $932 $11,185
6 Philadelphia $927 $11,121
7 Honolulu $887 $10,639
8 Los Angeles $838 $10,052
9 San Diego $824 $9,894
10 Minneapolis $824 $ 9,884
11 Cleveland $803 $9,639
12 Portland $798 $9,581
13 Denver $795 $9,539
14 Baltimore $782 $9,383
15 Minneapolis $752 $9,022
16 Washington, DC $751 $9,015
17 Dallas $730 $8,756
18 Atlanta $722 $8,658
19 Las Vegas $716 $8,591
20 Pittsburgh $680 $8,162
