People who give up a car and take public transit save an average of $9,242 annually—a savings increase of $600 compared with the same time period last year, according to APTA’s newest Transit Savings Report.

This savings is based on the average price of gasoline as of Jan. 11, 2010, along with the national unreserved monthly parking rate. The estimate calculates savings for a person in a two-person household who gives up one automobile and uses public transportation instead.

The savings are higher this year partly because the average U.S. gasoline price has risen roughly 54 percent[JB1] since the same time last year. Gasoline in January 2009 cost an average of $1.79 per gallon—almost $1 less than the $2.75 on average that Americans pay now.

Parking is expensive in most cities. The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a downtown business district is $154.23, according to the 2009 Colliers International Parking Rate Study. Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can amount to an average of $1,850.

Many riders save even more than this amount, however. In New York, public transportation users save an average of $13,765, and in eight of the top 20 cities, a commuter would save more than $10,000 by taking public transportation.

The Transit Savings Report is available on the APTA web site.

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