Why should we use public transportation?

The Rising Environmental Cost of Driving Alone

Transportation accounts for more than 30 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), public transportation in the United States saves approximately 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline and about 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. Yet only 14 million Americans use public transportation daily while 88 percent of all trips in the United States are made by car---and many of those cars carry only one person.

Added Benefits of Public Transportation

Consider these other benefits of public transportation:

• Energy independence---According to Treehugger.com, if just one in 10 Americans used public transportation daily, U.S. reliance on foreign oil would decrease 40 percent.
• Safety---Riding a bus is 79 times safer than riding in an automobile, and riding a train or subway is even safer.
• Health---Studies have shown that people who use public transportation regularly tend to be healthier than people who don't, because of the exercise they get walking to and from bus stops, subway stations and their homes and offices.
• Cost savings---According to an APTA study, families that use public transportation can reduce their household expenses by $6,200 annually, more than the average U.S. household spends on food every year.