Transit Commuter Saves Over $29,000 Since 2005
Washington, DC – Individuals who ride public transportation can save on average $9,171 annually based on the December 8, 2009 national average gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate.
“The Transit Savings Report” released monthly by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) 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 $764 per month. The savings amount is based on the cost of the national averages for parking and driving, as well as the December 8 national average gas price of $2,634 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 costs, according to APTA. 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.
The top 20 cities with the highest transit ridership are ranked in order of their transit savings based on the purchase of a monthly public transit pass and factoring in local gas prices for December 8, 2009 and the local monthly unreserved parking rate.*
Top Twenty Cities – Transit Savings Report
City Monthly Savings Annual Savings
1 New York $1,144 $13,728
2 Boston $1,026 $12,310
3 San Francisco $1,006 $12,068
4 Chicago $937 $11,242
5 Seattle $929 $11,144
6 Philadelphia $922 $11,067
7 Honolulu $887 $10,640
8 Los Angeles $831 $9,967
9 San Diego $817 $9,799
10 Minneapolis $811 $9,732
11 Portland $795 $9,541
12 Cleveland $793 $9,519
13 Denver $793 $9,519
14 Baltimore $775 $9,300
15 Washington, DC $747 $8,966
16 Miami $746 $8,953
17 Dallas $724 $8,690
18 Atlanta $713 $8,551
19 Las Vegas $710 $8,522
20 Pittsburgh $676 $8,116
*Based on gasoline prices as reported by AAA on 12/8/09.
Profile of a transit commuter saving money
Fort Worth, Texas resident Jamie Terrell became a full time convert to public transportation in mid-2005 when gas prices were high. Instead of driving his truck to the train station, he decided to get rid of his truck and take the bus instead. For the past 4 ½ years, he has taken the bus to the train station for the Fort Worth/Dallas commuter rail Trinity Railway Express (“TRE”) and then taken the shuttle bus from the station to his employer’s offices.
Terrell estimates that he has saved $29,000 since he made the change to public transportation and says he is currently saving $6,500 a year.
“Anyone who wants to save money should consider taking public transportation,” said Terrell, an employee at American Airlines’ Fort Worth headquarters. “I’ve been riding public transit for nearly 10 years and highly recommend it.”
Methodology
APTA calculates the average cost of taking public transit by determining the average monthly transit pass of local public transit agencies across the country. This information is based on the annual APTA fare collection survey and is weighted based on ridership (unlinked passenger trips). The assumption is that a person making a switch to public transportation would likely purchase an unlimited pass on the local transit agency, typically available on a monthly basis.
APTA then compares the average monthly transit fare to the average cost of driving. The cost of driving is calculated using the 2009 AAA average cost of driving formula. AAA cost of driving formula is based on variable costs and fixed costs. The variable costs include the cost of gas, maintenance and tires. The fixed costs include insurance, license registration, depreciation and finance charges. The comparison also uses the average mileage of a mid-size auto at 23.4 miles per gallon and the price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline as recorded by AAA on December 8 at $2.634 per gallon. The analysis also assumes that a person will drive an average of 15,000 miles per year. The savings assume a person in a two-person household lives with one less car.
In determining the cost of parking, APTA uses the data from the 2009 Colliers International Parking Rate Study for monthly unreserved parking rates for the United States.
To calculate your individual savings with or without car ownership, go to www.publictransportation.org.
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The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of over 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passengers services, and high-speed rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems
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