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Public Transportation . .
.an investment for the future.
Public transportation includes all multiple
occupancy vehicle services designed to transport customers on
local and regional routes. These services include: private and
public buses; trolley buses; van pools; jitneys; demand response
services; heavy and light rail; commuter rail; automated guideway
transit; inclined plane; cable cars; monorails; tramways; and
ferryboats.
How Large is the Public Transportation Industry?
- In 2000, America's public
transportation systems employed 350,000 workers to operate,
maintain and manage all modes of transit.
- A full 50% of this workforce
serve as operators or conductors.
- In addition, 10,000-20,000
professionals work under contract to public transportation
systems or are employed by companies and government offices that
support these systems.
- The public transportation fleet
is comprised of 129,000 vehicles in active service with the
majority (58%) being buses.
How Many Public Transportation Providers Are There?
- There are approximately 6,000
public transportation systems operating in the United States and
Canada, with the majority of these agencies operating more than
one type of service.
- Many agencies typically
contract additional services with private operators, further
increasing the number of total public transportation providers.
How Much Energy Does Public Transportation Use - and Save?
- In 1999, public transportation
vehicles used 856 million gallons of fossil fuels and 5.2
billion kilowatt-hours of electricity - which is less than 1% of
all energy consumed in the U.S.
- Among fossil fuels, diesel
ranks first and is used primarily by buses, but vehicles also
use gasoline, compressed natural gas, propane, and liquefied
natural gas.
- Most electricity (65%) is
consumed by heavy rail vehicles, as well as commuter rail (25%)
and light rail (8%).
What benefits does Public Transportation provide?
While transit clearly benefits those who use it,
even larger benefits accrue to all citizens in the form of
economic development, reduced congestion, more livable communities
and cleaner air.
Stimulates Economic
Development
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A transit coalition report, "Dollars & Sense:
The Economic Case for Public Transportation in
America," found that every dollar taxpayers
invest in public transportation generates $6 or more in
economic returns.
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Every $10 million in capital investment in
public transportation yields $30 million in increased sales.
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Every $10 million in operating investment
yields $32 million in increased sales.
Saves Money
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It's more cost efficient to use public
transportation, particularly in business and urban areas.
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For every $10 million invested in public
transportation, more than $15 million is saved in transportation
costs to both highway and public transportation users.
-
According to the American Automobile Association,
the estimated cost of driving a single-occupant vehicle is
between $4,826 (for a small car) and $9,685 (for a large car),
depending upon mileage. By contrast, the annual average cost for
public transportation for one adult ranges from $200 to $2,000,
depending upon mileage, time of day, type of vehicle or service.
Creates Jobs
-
In addition to the 350,000 people directly
employed by public transportation systems, thousands of others
are employed in related support services (i.e., engineering,
manufacturing, construction, retail, etc.).For every $10 million
invested in capital projects for public transportation, more
than 300 jobs are created and a $30 million gain in sales for
business is realized.
Gets People to Work
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Public transportation is key to moving former
welfare recipients into the workforce as permanent wage earners.
An estimated 94% of welfare recipients attempting to move into
the workforce do not own cars and rely on public transportation.
-
The current $75 million federal "Access To Jobs"
initiative provides grants to transit service providers to help
low-income residents get to work by providing transportation
choices.
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Another $500 million for these programs is
guaranteed by law for a five-year period.
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Public transportation provides valuable options
for suburban commuters who work in the city. In fact, the
average annual income of rail commuters is more than $50,000 and
most own two cars.
Eases Traffic Congestion
-
Nearly half of all Americans believe traffic is a
serious problem where they live. Most (57%) do not feel their
commute will improve over the next three years, and nearly a
quarter expect to spend more time commuting.
-
According to the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI),
car drivers spent more than 40 hours last year stuck in traffic
in one-third of the cities studied.
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Half the drivers spent the same amount of time
stuck in traffic as they did on vacation, according to the same
TTI study. These findings apply to small, medium and large
cities.
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Public transportation helps to alleviate our
nation's crowded network of roads by providing transportation
choices.
-
Without transportation choices, there would be
64,413 more cars on the road in
New Orleans, 167,061 more cars on San Diego
roads, and 2,610,280 more cars on New York City roads, according
to the Sierra Club.
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In
Portland, Oregon, a study by the Sierra Club
showed that when more transportation options are offered, people
use their cars less, thereby cutting traffic by 6% and traffic
delays by 66%.
Fosters More Livable Communities
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Public transportation facilities and corridors
are natural focal points for economic and social activities.
These activities help create strong neighborhood centers that
are more economically stable, safe and productive.
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Studies have shown that the ability to travel in
an area conveniently, without a car, is an important component
of a community's livability.
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Public transportation provides opportunity,
access, choice and freedom, all of which contribute to improved
quality of life.
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For example, Salt Lake City's new TRAX system has
achieved nearly 20,000 daily riders since 1999 (41% of whom are
new to transit), thereby helping to revitalize the downtown area
by attracting new businesses, a community center, ice-skating
rink and amphitheater.
Boosts Real Estate Values
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Public transportation fuels local development and
in turn has a positive impact on local property values.
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Studies have shown greater increases in the value
of properties located near public transportation systems than in
similar properties not located near public transportation.
Improves Air Quality
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Public transportation helps promote cleaner air
by reducing automobile use, which can exacerbate smog and public
health problems.
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Each year, public transportation use avoids the
emission of more than 126 million pounds of hydrocarbons, a
primary cause of smog, and 156 million pounds of nitrogen
oxides, which can cause respiratory disease.
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For each mile traveled, fewer pollutants are
emitted by transit vehicles than by a single-passenger
automobile. (Buses emit 80% less carbon monoxide than a car;
rail, almost none.)
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According to the Sierra Club, 7 of the 12 cities
with the highest grades for low car and truck smog per person
(New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco,
Sacramento and Washington, DC) are located in the states that
spend the most on clean transportation choices, demonstrating
the power of public transit as a tool to combat air pollution.
Reduces Energy Consumption
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Public transportation can significantly reduce
dependency on gasoline, reducing auto fuel consumption by 1.5
billion gallons annually.
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For example, a person who commutes 60 miles each
way daily could save an estimated 1,888 gallons of gasoline
every year by switching from using a car to using public
transportation.
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Many
U.S. transit systems are continuing to invest in
compressed natural gas, low-sulfur burning buses or
diesel-electric hybrid buses.
Ensures Safety
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Public transportation continues to be one of the
safest modes of travel in the
United States.
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Riding a transit bus is 91 times safer than car
travel. By train, passengers are 15 times safer.
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Every major public transportation system
participates in annual safety audit programs that examine all
areas of operation.
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Transit vehicle operators are highly trained to
anticipate and avoid problems. Most transit vehicles are larger,
newer and more substantial than autos or vans.
Enhances Mobility During Emergencies
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During many types of crises, both natural and
man-made, people rely on public transportation.
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On
September 11, 2001, the New York-New Jersey Port
Authority transit systems moved people safely away from the
World Trade Center disaster.
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Public transportation systems have operated
around the clock to transport firefighters to the sites of
wildfires; to evacuate nursing homes and hospitals; to move
people to safety during storms; and to bring out-of-town police
and rescue workers from airports.
Who
pays for it? . . .and how much?
Who Pays For What?
Who
Pays For Public Transportation?
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Public transportation is funded through two main
sources: capital funds and operating fees.
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Capital funds finance infrastructure needs such
as new construction and rehabilitation of existing facilities.
The federal government contributes 44% of these funds, but this
portion can be as high as 80% for some projects. The balance is
made up of a combination of state and local government funds,
with states contributing 10% and local governments, 13%.
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In 1999, public transportation received a total
of $9 billion in capital funds from all sources.
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Operating funds provide income for operating
expenses. Approximately 74% of these funds come from local
sources.
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Passenger fares comprise 37%; local governments,
20%; and non-government agencies and taxes, tolls and fees, 16%.
State and federal governments contribute 22% and 4%
respectively.
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In 1999, an adult passenger paid an average of
$1.09 per base fare.
How Much Does Government Contribute in Total?
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In fiscal year 2002, the fifth year of funding
under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA-21), the federal government will invest $6.7 billion in
public transportation.
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Total public expenditures (federal, state and
local) to operate, maintain and invest in public transit systems
in the
United States have totaled $15.4 billion each
year for the past four years.
How is the Money Spent?
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For 1999 capital expenses: facilities cost 52%;
vehicles, 36%; and equipment and services, 12%. Of these
categories, heavy rail expenses accounted for 30%; bus, 36%;
commuter rail, 18%, and light rail, 11%.
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For 1999 operating expenses: salaries and wages
cost 46%; benefits, 26%; purchased transportation, 12%; and fuel
and supplies, 9%. Services, utilities, insurance and other costs
make up the balance.
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In 1999, public transportation spent $20.5
billion on operating expenses.
Why is More Funding Necessary?
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Public transportation usage is expected to
experience the sharpest growth of any form of transportation
this decade.
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The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
reports that improvements to transit bus and rail facilities are
not keeping up with the strain placed on systems by increased
ridership. ASCE says public transportation spending must
increase by 41% just to maintain current conditions.
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According to the U.S. Department of
Transportation, in today's dollars, $17 billion in capital
investment is needed annually to maintain and improve
performance of the nation's transit systems.
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