The American Public Transportation Association released figures Monday on third quarter growth in public transportation. Tri-Rail ranked as the second fastest growing commuter rail system in the country with a whopping 32.9%. Public transit use overall jumped 6.5% between July and September across the country, while automobile use shrunk by a much larger 4.6%. More people reduced their driving because the actual number of vehicle-miles is much higher to begin with than the passenger-miles for public transit. So these 4.6% who reduced driving are not all switching to public transit, but also carpooling and combining or eliminating trips. Few bothered to point out that aspect of our new transportation habits, as the released figures don’t include those changes. Personally, I know many coworkers who have started carpooling this year.
Read the Miami Herald article on the subject here. One phrase in the article that nearly makes me shiver with delight is that “meanwhile, the U.S. auto industry is on the verge of collapse…” While I wish it were the case, the statement is rather sensationalist. If they declare bankruptcy they will not be collapsing, just restructuring.
Meanwhile, gas prices continue to drop, so we can only hope these changes last.
Are these stats monthly? It would surprise me if that trend continued long after the July spike in gas prices (approx $4.65 national avg). Is it possible those stats are for a few months before those months when prices were still going up? As a metrorail user for the past 2 years I saw a noticeable jump in ridership every day up to about Aug of this year. But it’s been waning again ever since (seems strongly correlated to gas prices in this town). Those lost riders as of late still need to get to work somehow and despite the econ, they can’t all be getting laid off.
I agree the trend may not continue, but this data ends in September so it’s hard to say what it’s doing now. I have been riding Tri-Rail regularly since August and noticed a constantly increasing number of riders, but I think it leveled off in October. Transit agencies have to provide a good service if they want to keep these passengers, but I don’t think anything has changed. I would add that the switch probably continued after the gas price peak because of delay in people trying to change their commuting habits.