Yet, ironically, while high gas prices are encouraging more people to ride transit, rising diesel prices are also causing mass transit systems nationwide to raise fares, cut service, lay off staff, and delay capital spending.

Transit Needs to Be Part of the Solution

Transit needs to be part of the solution – not the victim – of high gas prices. If Americans used public transportation for roughly 10% of their daily travel needs, the U.S. would reduce its dependence on imported oil by more than 40%, or nearly the amount of oil the U.S. imports from Saudi Arabia each year, according to a recent study. In fact, increased use of public transportation is the single most effective way to reduce America's energy consumption.

Public transportation is also the best way to beat the traffic. Today, whether you live in one of the nation’s largest cities, a fast growing suburb, or a once-rural area, you will unquestionably be aggravated, inconvenienced, or more severely affected by the unparalleled level of congestion on U.S. roads. It is estimated that congestion costs U.S. travelers more than 4.5 billion hours of delay, 6.8 billion gallons of wasted fuel, and $78 billion during an average year.

Mobility

Finally, despite unquestionable mobility needs – especially of elderly and disabled individuals – 40% of Americans in rural counties have no access to public transportation at all.

In the summer of 2005, Congress finally passed the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), which authorizes federal transit and highway programs through Fiscal Year (FY) 2009. SAFETEA-LU builds on the success of two previous surface transportation authorization laws, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century (TEA 21). Under the new bill, the federal transit program structure remains largely the same, retaining formula programs that target federal investment to systems and communities based on need and capital investment programs that address special needs and projects.

The new bill provides a record level of federal transit investment – nearly $53 billion over six years – an increase of 46% over the amount guaranteed in TEA 21. However, because no transportation appropriations bill was passed for FY 2007, federal transit funding is not growing at the levels authorized under the legislation.