An overwhelming number of Americans with access to public transportation—87 percent—take advantage of it and 69 percent consider public transit a better option than driving at times, according to the latest America THINKS survey released by HNTB Corporation.

The random nationwide survey of 1,000 Americans showed that higher gas prices and convenience are the primary motivators for riding public transportation, with both cited by 29 percent of respondents. When asked to select the most valuable feature of public transportation, 28 percent cited its role in reducing traffic congestion; 24 percent noted how it saves users money; and 13 percent listed its environmental benefit.

“Whether it’s buses, commuter trains, light rail, or streetcars, public transportation is an essential element for our communities,” said Elizabeth Rao, chair, public transit services, for HNTB. “People like transit, and successful cities deliver it.”

Despite budget and service cutbacks related to the current economic climate, more than two-thirds of the survey respondents said the overall quality of public transportation in their area has either stayed the same or improved during the last five years.

Among respondents with public transportation in their area, 58 percent say the level of service has stayed about the same, while 25 percent think it has improved.

The survey also examined attitudes toward public financing of public transit. Forty-six percent of respondents said they believe local, state, and federal governments do not spend enough money on public transportation in their area.

Possible funding sources include an increased share of gas tax, supported by 28 percent; private investment, 21 percent; or local sales taxes, 20 percent. In contrast, only 10 percent supported property taxes for transit funding.

A summary of the survey can be found here.

Environment Illinois
Meanwhile, a report just released by the group Environment Illinois shows how commuters using Metra commuter rail in the Chicago area saved 34.8 million gallons of gasoline—the amount of fuel consumed by more than 61,000 cars per year—in 2008. According to On the Right Track: Chicago’s Metra Saves Energy and Protects the Environment, transportation is responsible for more than two-thirds of the nation’s dependence on oil and about one-third of carbon dioxide pollution.

“Each time someone rides Metra, they are voting with their feet to make Chicago more energy-independent,” said Sophie Huckabay, a campaign associate with Environment Illinois. “The best way to protect our environment in the long term is to continue on the path to using less oil.”

Metra also contributes significantly to relieving highway congestion, the report said. Riders took 77 million trips on Metra in 2008, and ridership has been steadily growing by an average of 1 percent annually since 2000.

The report found that transit users in the Chicago region can save as much as $11,611 per year by avoiding the cost of vehicle ownership, parking, and fuel.

It also cited other benefits of transit ridership: fewer hours stuck in traffic and reductions in smog and carbon pollution. Each year, Metra service reduces global warming pollution by 256,000 tons.

The text of the report is available here.

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