Overview

Public Transportation Overview

What is Public Transportation?
Public transportation is “transportation by a conveyance that provides regular and continuing general or special transportation to the public…” as defined by the federal government. It includes service by buses, subways, rail, trolleys and ferryboats.  It also includes paratransit services for seniors and persons with disabilities as well as vanpool and taxi services operated under contract to a public transportation agency.

Public Transportation Serves Billions
Provides Freedom, Mobility
In 2004, Americans took 9.6 billion trips using public transportation. Since 1995, public transportation ridership in the U.S. grew by more than 23 percent, faster than highway travel.  APTA estimates that about 33 million trips are taken each weekday in the United States. 

People take public transportation for a variety of reasons.  For some, it is literally a lifeline.  Public transportation provides people from every walk of life with easy access to jobs, schools, medical appointments, shops, and other services, thereby providing them with mobility, choice and freedom. 

Who Rides Public Transportation and Why?
People use public transportation for a variety of reasons.  Approximately 54 percent use transit to get to and from work; 15 percent to and from school; 9 percent to go shopping. About 52 percent of the riders are women and 48 percent are men.

Public Transportation Comes in Many Modes
Modes represent different methods of public transportation. Road modes include bus, trolleybus, vanpool, jitney, and paratransit service.  Rail modes include heavy rail, light rail, commuter rail, automated guideway transit, inclined plane, cable car, monorail, and aerial tramway.  Water modes include passenger-only and vehicle ferries, and water taxis. 

Providers
Today, more than 6,000 public transportation providers operate in the U.S and Canada.  The majority operate more than one mode of service.  Approximately 1,500 agencies provide bus service; 6,000 agencies operate paratransit service; and 150 agencies operate other modes. 

Almost all of the public transportation agencies in the U.S. provide service which meet the needs of older Americans and persons with disabilities.

Employees
In 2004, more than 359,000 public transportation employees provided services to passengers and managed capital investments.  These employees operate, maintain and manage all modes of public transportation as well as aid in the construction of public transportation infrastructure.  The majority of operating employees (61 percent) work in bus service, followed by 14 percent in heavy rail, 13 percent in paratransit, 7 percent in commuter rail, 2 percent in light rail, 2 percent in other rail modes and 1 percent in trolleybus.

Vehicles Are Varied
The public transportation fleet comprises 144,000 vehicles in active service.  Of this number, buses represent 56 percent; paratransit vehicles, 26 percent; heavy rail cars, 8 percent; commuter rail cars, 4 percent; light rail cars, 1 percent; and all other modes, 5 percent.  

Many are using 21st Century technology such as onboard wireless internet on commuter buses, smart cards and electronic signage, all designed to improve passenger convenience, safety and comfort.  To accommodate passengers with disabilities, many systems have speaking buses, which provide audio announcements of bus stops, and kneeling buses, which allow the front door of the bus to be lowered closer to the ground for easier accessibility.

U.S. transit agencies are increasingly investing in alternative fuel buses to reduce dependence on oil.  About 17% of fixed-route buses currently use alternative fuels and 20% of buses on order will use alternative fuels.

Public Transportation Benefits Everyone
Public transportation improves the quality of life in communities across the country by providing safe, efficient and economical service. It also serves as a vital component necessary for a healthy economy.  In addition, not only does it benefit the people who use it, it also benefits society as a whole.

According to a 2003 Wirthlin Worldwide poll, four in five Americans or 81 percent agree that increased investment in public transportation would strengthen the economy, create jobs, reduce traffic congestion and air pollution and save energy.

A recent Harris Interactive poll revealed that 98 percent of all adults believe a good transportation system is very important, or essential, for the country as a whole.

Some of the most significant benefits are:

Eases Traffic Congestion
Public transportation helps to alleviate the congestion on our nation’s increasingly crowded network of roadways.  According to the 2005 Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Annual Urban Mobility Report, public transportation reduces traffic delays and costs in America’s 85 largest urban areas. The study concluded that public transportation services in America’s most congested cities saved travelers 1.1 billion hours in travel time.  Without public transportation, travel delays would have increased 27 percent.

Creates and Sustains Jobs
The public transportation industry creates – and sustains – jobs for the nation’s economy.  In addition to the 359,000 people directly employed by the public transportation industry or directly-related areas – engineering, construction, manufacturing and retail industries – other jobs are created.

Every $1 billion in federal funding invested in public transportation infrastructure generates approximately 47,500 American jobs.

Provides Access to Jobs
Almost half of the nation’s Fortune 500 companies, representing over $2 trillion in annual revenue, are headquartered in America’s transit-intensive metropolitan areas.  Examples of cities where companies have located near public transportation are many and include Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas.

In addition to enhancing employee recruitment, businesses tied to public transportation are experiencing more employee reliability and less absenteeism and turnover.  Public assistance agencies also use public transportation to help more people to enter the work force.  The Federal Transit Administration’s Job Access and Reverse Commuter Program provides grants to support transportation for thousands of citizens.

Stimulates Economic Development
Studies confirm the positive economic impact of public transportation investment on new development and business revenues. 

A Cambridge Systematics study estimated that each $10 million in capital investment yields $30 million in increased sales, while each $10 million operating investment yields $32 million. 

Every dollar taxpayers invest in public transportation generates an average of $6 in economic returns, ranging from $4 to $9.

Boosts Real Estate Values
Real estate – residential, commercial and business – served by public transportation can command higher rents and maintain higher value than similar properties not as well served by transit.

For example, in the case of developments near the light rail system in Dallas, Texas, a 2002 University of North Texas study found that commercial properties located near suburban Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) stations increased in value 24.7 percent whereas properties not served by rail only increased 11.5 percent.  Values of residential properties near the stations rose 32.1 percent compared to the 19.5 percent increase for properties not served by rail stations.

Also, according to the Urban Land Institute (ULI), residential properties for sale near commuter rail stops in California consistently enjoy price premiums, including a 17 percent advantage to properties in the San Diego region.

Fosters More Livable Communities:  
Public transportation facilities and transportation corridors are “natural focal points for communities” that serve to encourage economic and social activities and help create strong neighborhood centers that are economically stable, safe, and productive.  When commuters ride public transportation or walk, contact with neighbors tends to increase, which helps bring a community closer.

Transit-friendly walkable communities reduce reliance on cars and promote higher levels of physical activity.  These more traditional settings may generate half the automobile trips of similarly sized modern day suburbs.

Provides Mobility for Seniors
By the year 2025, 18 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 and over and many will be unable to drive. In fact, one-fifth of persons 65 and older do not drive.

A 2004 AARP/Surface Transportation Policy Project report found that 50% of non-drivers age 65 and older stay home on any given day partially because they lack transportation options.  They make 15% fewer trips to doctors, and 65% fewer trips for social, family and religious activities.

Meeting the transportation needs of seniors is a major community objective as well as a national goal. Public transportation services, including regular route service and mini-buses, represent a lifeline for seniors, linking them with family, friends and a changing society.

The 2005 White House Conference on Aging confirmed just how important senior mobility issues are to the future of our nation.  It ranked transportation options for older Americans to be among the top three priorities facing seniors.

Of the 73 resolutions presented at the 2005 conference, the pledge to “Ensure that Older Americans Have Transportation Options to Retain Their Mobility and Independence” received the third most votes.

Provides Access for Rural Areas
Public transportation is equally important to America’s rural heartland, where 40 percent of residents have no access to public transportation services and another 25 percent have very little access.

Transportation service is critical for rural America’s 30 million transit-dependent persons, including senior citizens, low-income families and people with disabilities.

Both the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and APTA estimate that rural and small urban investment needs are approximately $1 billion a year over the next six years.

Improves Air Quality
Public transportation plays a vital role in reducing pollution. It produces 95 percent less carbon monoxide (CO), more than 92 percent fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nearly half as much carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for every passenger mile traveled as compared to traveling with private vehicles.

Public transportation reduces annual emissions for the pollutants that create smog, VOCs and NOx, by more than 70,000 tons and 27,000 tons respectively.

Today, more than ever, transit systems nationwide are reducing reliance on diesel fuel for their bus fleets and investing in compressed natural gas vehicles, buying low-sulfur, fuel-burning buses or planning a switch to diesel-electric hybrid buses.  Other systems are replacing older diesel buses with newer ones to reduce emissions.

Reduces Energy Consumption
Public transportation can significantly reduce dependency on gasoline.  For every passenger mile traveled, public transportation uses about one half of the fuel consumed by cars, and about a third of that used by sport utility vehicles and light trucks.

Public transportation riders in the United States save 855 million gallons of gasoline per 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 rode transit at the rate of 10 percent of daily travel, the U.S. would reduce its dependence on oil imported from the Persian Gulf by more than 40 percent.  These fuel savings would equal nearly all the energy used by U.S. food manufacturers and more than the energy used by the U.S. petrochemical industry.

(Conserving Energy and Preserving the Environment: The Role of Public Transportation, Robert J. Shapiro, Kevin A. Hassett, and Frank S. Arnold, 2002.)

Saves Money
Public transportation saves money.  For every dollar earned, the average household spends 19 of every dollar cents on transportation, 95 percent of which is for buying, maintaining and operating cars, the largest source of household debt after mortgages.

Americans living in transit-intensive metropolitan areas save $18 billion annually in congestion costs. Every $10 million invested in public transportation saves more than $15 million, for both highway and transit users. This includes savings of about $200 to $4,500 worth of gas per year for a transit user. 

In addition, transit reduces the needs for additional cars, a yearly expense of between $6,000 and $11,400.

Annual costs for public transportation may range from $200 to $2,600 depending on mileage traveled and other factors including transfer, distance or zone, time-of-day, express, and parking charges.  This is far less than costs incurred in owning a car.

Enhances Mobility During Emergencies
Time and time again, the availability of public transportation, in emergencies, both natural and man-made, has proven to be critical in maintaining basic access, mobility and safety for individuals in harm’s way. 

Public transportation has maintained service and helped evacuate threatened areas and transported emergency personnel during times of fires, hurricanes, windstorms and winter storms.

Most notably, on September 11, 2001, public transportation systems in the New York City area moved people safely away from the World Trade Center disaster. After the attack on the Pentagon, transit systems in the Washington, D.C. area evacuated hundreds of thousands in an early rush hour.  Nationwide, transit systems evacuated tens of thousands of travelers from closed airports in major cities. Emergency plans went into effect at many systems to secure the safety of passengers. Not a single life was lost among the millions of people traveling on public transportation that day.

Ensures Safety
Public transportation continues to be one of the safest modes of travel in the U.S. Safe travel is a high priority of public transportation systems, federal, state and local governments and APTA. 

According to the National Safety Council’s 2005-2006 “Injury Facts”, riding a transit bus is 26 times safer than car travel. It is estimated that transit rail riders are 14 times safer than those traveling by car.

The public transportation industry and APTA continue to promote partnerships in safety and security.  APTA’s Safety and Security Management Programs are recognized internationally and provide leadership in program development, benchmarking of effective practices, and delivery of safety and security program audits of transit systems.  In 2005, 60 public transportation systems participated in the rail, commuter rail or bus safety management programs offered by APTA in North America and Asia.  These comprehensive programs are designed to examine every area of transit planning, construction, acquisition, operations and maintenance to ensure the safety of our public transportation passengers and employees.

Americans Say They Want More Public Transportation
All around the country, people are saying they want more transit.  Last year, voters nationwide approved state and local ballot initiatives to support public transit 84% of the time, even when it meant local taxes would be raised or continued.

A 2005 Harris Poll showed that 44% of Americans would like to see an increasing portion of travel go by rail in the future.  Local travel by car was chosen by 11 percent of Americans.

Growing Investment Needs
According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, in today's dollars, $20.6 billion is needed annually to maintain and improve performance of the nation's transit systems.

The American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Bottom Line Report documented investment needs of $43.9 billion each year to improve and expand public transportation.

The Public Sector’s Investment in Public Transportation
In 2005, the Congress passed, and the president signed into law, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, a Legacy for Users, with $52.6 billion in guaranteed funding for public transportation through FY 09.  SAFETEA-LU provides a record level of federal transit investment over 6 years. 

Financial support by federal, state and local governments also allows people make a choice among travel modes.  These expenditures have a high return on the public investment; every $1 taxpayers invest in public transportation generates from $4 to $9 in economic returns.

Funds to Build and Operate Public Transportation
Public transportation funds come from two main sources, capital and operating. Capital funds are used to finance infrastructure needs such as new construction and rehabilitation of existing facilities. 

Up to 80 percent of the total capital cost may be federally-funded. The balance is typically paid for by a combination of state and local funds; many state and local governments provide more than the required minimum 20 percent of matching funds.  In some cases, capital projects are financed solely by state and local funds.  In 2004, public transportation agencies raised 29 percent of capital funds from tolls, fees, taxes, and non-governmental sources. States contributed 14 percent; local governments contributed 18 percent; and the federal government contributed 39 percent.

Operating funds provide income for operational expenses.  In 2004, public transportation received $29.7 billion in operating funds from all sources.  For the same year, public transportation operating expenses totaled $28.5 billion.

Summary
Now more than ever, it is evident that public transportation is a critical piece of our nation’s transportation system.  Congestion is rising, gas prices are sky-rocketing, and people in record numbers are choosing to use public transit instead of driving.

Public transportation is expanding into areas such as Phoenix, Houston, Salt Lake City, once thought to be more focused on a car culture.  State and local transportation ballot initiatives have passed overwhelmingly in communities throughout the country.  People are saying they want more public transportation and they are willing to pay for it, even if it means paying more taxes.

Clearly, public transportation is on the move in the 21st Century.