Providence, RI—In 2008, people in Rhode Island saved 9,840,000 gallons of gasoline by riding transit in record numbers – the amount consumed by 17,100 cars in Rhode Island. In their new report entitled “Getting On Track: Record Transit Ridership Increases Energy Independence,” Environment Rhode Island outlined how transportation is responsible for more than two-thirds of our dependence on oil, and about one-third of our global warming pollution in America.
“People are voting with their feet by driving less and taking more public transportation,” said Bailey McRae of Environment Rhode Island. “Congress should listen to these voters and invest more in public transportation, which will increase our energy independence and reduce global warming pollution,” McRae added.
In Rhode Island, transit ridership increased by more than 5% percent above 2007 levels.
People in Rhode Island drove less, with 425 million fewer miles driven in 2008 than in the year before – a 5 percent decrease. People drove less due in part to volatile fuel prices and decreased economic activity, and many of these car trips were replaced by transit.
“Despite the huge potential for transit to reduce oil consumption and pollution, the vast majority of transportation funding is spent on roads,” said Bailey McRae. “Instead of wasting money to build new highways that only increase our dependence on oil, our leaders here in Rhode Island and in Congress should drive more money to transit, rail, and better biking and walking options,” McRae added.
In 2008, increased national transit ridership saved more than 4 billion gallons of gasoline, the equivalent of the fuel used by nearly 7.2million cars – equal to almost as many passenger cars are registered in Florida – consume in one year.
These figures do not take into account the other benefits of increased transit ridership – benefits that include reduced congestion, fewer hours stuck in traffic, reductions in smog and soot pollution or money saved by households regularly taking transit.
“Every additional dollar we spend on public transit makes us less dependent on oil, and reduces global warming pollution, smog, and asthma attacks,” continued McRae.
In addition to fuel savings, public transportation reduced global warming pollution in Rhode Island by 89,000 tons in 2008.
In order to maximize public transportation potential to save energy and reduce pollution, Environment Rhode Island is asking our local, state, and federal leaders to:
• Issue overarching goals for reducing oil dependence and pollution through transportation, which will guide better policy.
• Increase investment in cleaner public transportation to include transit, high speed rail, and better walking and biking options.
• Level the playing field in terms of funding and approving transit projects, relative to road projects. Approval of transit and highway investments should be governed by an equivalent set of rules and matching ratios.
• Increase funding for transit maintenance and day-to-day operations, in addition to improving and expanding capacity. Federal, state and local funds should allow for greater flexibility in funding operations - new buses and trains are useless without drivers to drive them and mechanics to maintain them.
In the near term, Rhode Island is calling on Congress to incorporate the full provisions of CLEAN TEA (the Clean, Low Emissions, Affordable New Transportation Equity Act, S. 575 ), into the climate bill being debated now in the Senate. CLEAN TEA would direct 10 percent of climate bill allowances to clean transportation efforts that will save oil and reduce emissions.
“We hope Senators Reed and Whitehouse will support this forward-thinking legislation to save oil and reduce pollution,” McRae added.
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Environment Rhode Island is a state-based, citizen-funded environmental organization working for clean air, clean water, and open space. www.environmentrhodeisland.org
