APTA: National Dump The Pump Day

Transit News

Take a Stand Against High Gas Prices; Ride Public Transportation

June 6, 2006

On June 8, people across the country will "dump the pump," and ride public transportation on the first National Dump the Pump Day. This day will highlight the importance of public transportation as the quickest way to beat high gas prices. Since 2003, gas prices have increased by 100 percent.

"We're asking Americans across the country to take a bus or train on June 8," said American Public Transportation Association President William W. Millar. "Public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. What many people might not realize is that by using public transportation to commute to work, you can save up to $3,000 a year."

Since gas prices have spiked this spring, more and more people are choosing to ride public transportation. Throughout the country, transit agencies are reporting increased ridership; some are even reporting record levels of ridership.

Transit systems nationwide are participating in National Dump the Pump Day. More than 60 cities and counties across the country are reaching out to new riders. A list of current participants is included below. Some agencies are providing free rides.

National sponsors are the American Public Transportation Association; the Surface Transportation Policy Project; the Environmental and Energy Study Institute; and the Center for Transportation Excellence. State sponsors include: the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies; the Florida Public Transportation Association; the Georgia Transit Association; the Indiana Transportation Association; the Kentucky Public Transit Association; the Illinois Public Transit Association; the New York Public Transit Association; the Ohio Transit Association; the Pennsylvania Transportation Association; the South West Transit Association; and the Virginia Transit Association.

National Dump the Pump Participants:

Albany, NY
Austin, TX
Birmingham, AL
Bridgeport, CT
Broward County, FL
Buffalo, NY
Butler, PA
Charleston, SC
Chicago, IL
Cincinnati, Ohio
Corpus Christi, TX
State of Delaware
Denver, CO
Eden Prairie, MN
Eugene, OR
Everett, WA
Fort Worth, TX
Fort Wright, KY
Gainesville/Hall County, GA
Johnstown, PA
Kalamazoo, MI
Kansas City, MO
Kenosha, WI
Knoxville, TN
Lexington, KY
Logan, UT
Los Angeles, CA
Louisville, KY
Memphis, TN
Miami-Dade County, FL
Milwaukee, WI
Mobile, AL
Modesto, CA
Norman, OK
Olympia, WA
Orange County, CA
Ozaukee County, WI
Pittsburgh, PA
Racine, WI
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
State of Rhode Island
Richland, WA
Richmond, VA
Rockland County, NY
St. Louis, MO
Sacramento, CA
San Antonio, TX
San Diego, CA
San Francisco/Oakland, CA
Santa Clara, CA
Santa Fe, NM
Santa Monica, CA
Seattle, WA
Southern Florida
State College, PA
Topeka, KS
Tulsa, OK
Washington, DC
Washington County, WI
Waukesha, WI
West Covina, CA
West Palm Beach, FL
Wilmington, DE

For more information on public transportation, log on to www.publictransportation.org

APTA is a nonprofit international association of 1,600 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.

TRANSIT FACTS FOR NATIONAL DUMP THE PUMP DAY

Since January 2003, gas prices have increased by 100 percent.
By using public transportation to commute to work, a person can save between $300 and $3,000 in fuel costs per year.
By getting rid of a car, and using transit instead to commute to work, a person would save between $3,300 and $11,100 annually.
Transit use saves more than 855 million gallons of gasoline every year.
These gasoline savings are equal to more than twice the energy consumed by the U.S. apparel industry, or half the energy burned by the U.S. paper pulp industry or by all U.S. manufacturers of computers and electronic equipment.
If Americans used public transportation for roughly ten percent of daily travel needs, the United States would reduce its dependence on imported oil from the Persian Gulf by more than 40 percent.
During the past 10 years, U.S. public transportation use has grown by 25.1% -- at a faster rate than highway travel (22.5%).

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National Dump The Pump Day - June 8