U.S. Public Transit Comes Together to Remind You to Dump the Pump
How does an extra $12,000 in your pocket sound?
That’s the annual savings from taking public transit instead of commuting by car in San Francisco, according to American Public Transportation Association’s latest Transit Savings Report. That’s even better than the national average of about $9,000 in savings a year by taking transit.
Couple that with the recent ranking showing San Francisco boasts one of the top public transit systems in the country and you’ve got a couple of great reasons to dump the pump.
That’s right, tomorrow is the 11th annual National Dump the Pump Day, a chance to skip the gas station and instead enjoy the many benefits of public transit.
It’s green, it’s thrifty, it helps the economy and it’s a chance to explore the city.
Public transportation reduces our nation’s dependence on foreign oil by 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline a year, according to the American Public Transportation Association, the national organization of academic institutions, transportation companies and state local, state and regional transportation agencies.
Transit also saves 37 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. That’s the equivalent of Washington, DC; New York City; Atlanta; Denver; and Los Angeles combined ending their consumption of electricity, according to APTA.
The latest research shows that in 2011, U.S. public transportation use saved 856 million hours in travel time, 450 million gallons of fuel, and $21 billion in congestion costs in 498 urban areas, according to the transportation association.
Additionally, public transportation is a cornerstone of local economies in urban, suburbanand rural communities. In fact, public transportation helps to make a community economically prosperous and competitive. Every $1 invested in public transportation generates approximately $4 in economic returns, powering community growth and revitalization, the transportation association found.
Here in San Francisco, the SFMTA’s latest report on people’s travel decisions shows that more than half of the 4 million daily trips are taken by a means other than a private car, including transit, walking or biking.
Keep it up, and let's do what we can to dump the pump.