Check out these facts about oil and gas to learn more.

96

Percent of the world’s transportation energy currently supplied by oil.

75

Cost of barrel of oil on July 18th, 2007.

$131

Cost of barrel of oil on July 18th, 2008.

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The high cost of gas has pushed retail gas purchases down 2 to 3 percent. What are people doing instead? Taking public transportation!

The first quarter report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) found that use of public transportation is skyrocketing in tandem with gas prices. Last year 10.3 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transportation — the highest in 50 years. Ridership on streetcars, trolleys, commuter rails, subways, and buses are all up. Even Amtrak ridership is soaring.

This shift presents an historic opportunity.

It was hard to get us Americans out of our cars when gas was cheap, but now we’re trying public transportation in record numbers. And once people try it, odds are they’ll prefer it, which is great news for the environment.

Good public transportation is more pleasant than a private car (you can’t read while you’re driving), and far cheaper. A calculator on the APTA Web site shows how much you can save by leaving your car parked at home.

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The American Public Transportation Authority reports 35% more travelers will use public transportation this summer. They provide this list of the country’s top ten summer city destinations and their expected use of public transportation:

New York City (53 percent - up 5 percent)
Washington, DC (47 percent - up 1 percent)
Boston (48 percent - up 5 percent)
San Francisco (40 percent – remained constant)
Philadelphia (38 percent - up 4 percent)
Chicago (35 percent - up 4 percent)
Seattle (32 percent – up 2 percent)
Las Vegas (30 percent – up 4 percent)
Los Angeles (31 percent – up 5 percent)
Atlanta (25 percent – up 3 percent)

Needless to say in a country where each household owns an average of 2.28 vehicles, this surge in use of public transportation is coming with growing pains. The increase in gas prices is effecting public transportation providers, which will be reflected in the expected increase in fares. Many companies are finding it necessary to increase their fleets and routes. The cost of expanding their operations coupled with the high fuel prices are a concern. Some companies that provide public transportation are making cut backs while others are pressing forward. Overall, it seems those involved in the public transit industry are looking at this increased need for their services as positive.

One of the benefits of living in a free capitalist society is the ability to choose where we spend our money. As Americans we know, money talks! Bus, train, subway or bike….as a society we are joining together and saying no to the rising cost of fuel. There is excitement in the air (and less CO2) as we join together this summer either by choice or forced compliance. I welcome the change!

Other related posts: Public Transit is for Lovers; Why I Sold My Car, or How I Learned to Stop Driving and Love the Bus

Photo Credit: http2007 via Flickr, Creative Commons License

So who are the world’s most railway friendly countries, and what can we learn from them about implementing practical rail services that people will actually want to use?

Data provided by The International Union of Railways shows Japan as the world leader among major economies in rail kilometres per inhabitant, followed by Europe lead by the Swiss. The United Kingdom comes, unsurprisingly, near the bottom, with the USA coming last - US citizens traveling one thirteenth the distance of the Japanese by rail.

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Source: Sightline.org

The 2007 data for carbon dioxide emissions according to mode of travel.

The squid is between a pair of tongs, which an elderly Korean woman holds over an indoor propane stove. As the squid crisps, I look around. I’m standing in front of one of the dozens of shops and small restaurants lining the spacious hallway of the main bus terminal of Gangneung, a city on the Sea of Japan, where my trip begins.

Already, we’ve come the first advantage of car-free travel: outside of a car, you see things that you probably would never see inside a car. BBQ squid, for example.

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In a car, you can’t hold hands with your loved one. The risk of driving one-handed is enough to make even the jovial Click and Clack of Car Talk tisk their tongues in disapproval. And sharing loving gazes from behind the wheel is more likely to cause a head-on than a heart-to-heart. There’s just not very much that’s very romantic about bucket seats, safety belts, and traffic.

But on public transit, you have both hands, both eyes, and your whole attention free. Trains, trolleys, ferry boats, and buses are where it’s at if you’re in love and en route. Imagine rolling through the countryside on a train with your loved one. Out the window, you see the beautiful landscape, which you’ve somehow never noticed quite as well before from the freeway. You’ve just been to the dining car, where you met a delightful couple on vacation, and now you’re relaxing together as you sip hot cocoa from the train’s kitchen. You sit next to one another, fondly gazing at one another and smiling. You’re free to hold hands, sit close, close your eyes and daydream, and look into one another’s eyes as you talk.

It’s moments like this that get lost in the hustle and hubbub of highways and freeways. Taking a trolley ride, strolling around the observation deck of a ferry boat, sitting arm in arm on the bus, watching the world roll past from the window of a train, or meeting your loved one at the station are wonderful experiences for every couple to share and enjoy.

If, by now, you’re not convinced that PT (public transit) is the best way for you and your sweetie to get around, then the following poem probably won’t do a thing to help change your mind. But what the heck, it’s fun. Enjoy.

PDA on the PT

While in the car, you must refrain
From holding hands, and do abstain
From loving gazes and flirting looks
From straying thoughts and reading books
From stealing kisses and nibbling ears
From playing games and sharing beers
From sitting close, both arm in arm
From cozying up, both safe from harm.

One hand’s just not enough, my dear
To steer the car when danger’s near.
And both your eyes must always stay
Fixed on the road and never stray.
Your bucket seats just won’t allow
For getting close, no way no how.
So don’t get stuck behind a wheel
Now that you know PT’s appeal!

Picture taken by Deepti Kalsi.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley certainly appreciates the importance of mass transit. "To me, it’s pretty clear," Daley said earlier this week. "Either (the General Assembly and the Governor) support public transit or they don’t. This is do or die time." He is calling for long-term solutions to the budget shortfalls that have plagued the CTA.

The Chicago Police Department is working with schools to mitigate potential safety problems that are likely to arise. The police presence will be increased in the 50 schools that will be most effected by the CTA cuts. Longer waits at bus stops and students crossing into gang territories to find new ways home are the source of safety concerns.

The CTA cuts can have significant effects on the accessibility of a college education as well according to a recent survey conducted by the City Colleges of Chicago. The study found out that more than 41,000 students use the CTA to get to school, and many of them don’t have access to another mode of transportation. 14,000 students said they’d have to drop out of City Colleges if the CTA cuts go through and another 11,000 would reduce their coursework or postpone it. Similar problems will likely exist with job opportunities as well. This highlights how significant the social and economic impacts of such cuts may be, particularly on people who do not own cars.

Chicago air quality is likely to decline if more people rely on personal vehicles for transportation. Chicago already ranks #11 for particle pollution and #23 for smog when compared to other major US cities. The CTA has a significant impact on air pollution, traffic congestion, and gasoline consumption. A study conducted by the American Public Transportation Association in January estimates that public transportation reduces American consumption of gasoline by 1.4 billion gallons annually.

With a population of 3 million within the city limits, the CTA rail system provided 159.3 million rides in 2006, which was the highest it has been since 1969. Meanwhile, 298.4 million rides were provided through the CTA bus service in 2006. The CTA anticipates loosing 250,000 rides daily due to service cuts and price increases. It is event certainly highlights the benefits of effective public transportation systems.