Transit Facts

Climate Change Legislation Misses Opportunity to Use One of the Most Powerful Weapons to Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions – Public Transit

Statement by William Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association

May 18, 2009

contacts:

Virginia Miller
(202) 496-4816
vmiller@apta.com

“One of the most powerful tools an individual may have to reduce their daily carbon dioxide emissions – the use of public transportation -- is not part of the new climate change legislation. Despite the facts that show providing greater access to public transportation may be the most effective weapon for combating climate change, there are no allowances from the cap-and-trade program for public transportation in the current climate legislation H.R. 2454 entitled the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACESA), which is being considered by the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week.

Our nation’s transportation system produces one-third of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the U.S. and transportation is the fastest growing domestic source of greenhouse gas emissions. Yet public transportation, which directly addresses this, receives zero allowance value in ACESA.

We are very disappointed by this glaring oversight. A long-term investment in public transportation is a long-term investment in combating climate change. The 4,800 pounds of carbon emissions a year that an individual can save by taking public transit instead of driving far exceeds the combined efforts of other carbon reducing activities such as changing light bulbs, weatherizing homes and replacing appliances. Overall, public transportation use last year prevented the emission of more than 37 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide. Those emissions savings are equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households.

It is unfortunate that this bill does not provide an opportunity to increase the number of Americans who could ride public transportation and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In contrast, the bill provides investment in transition assistance for numerous private industries such as the oil refineries and the electric utilities.

ACESA in its present form fails to invest in the transportation sector in an effective and sustainable manner that recognizes the role of public transportation and other strategies that provide Americans with more choices in our transportation system.

APTA hopes that future versions of ACESA will include substantial new investment in public transportation. On behalf of the public transportation industry and the millions of additional people who could take public transportation, I call on congressional leaders to ensure that public transportation is a vital part of this important climate change legislation. It is the right thing to do.

Beyond helping to reduce our nation’s carbon footprint, public transportation use in America saves 4.2 billion gallons of fuel each year and helps Americans reduce their commuting costs by escaping the high costs of gasoline and car ownership. In fact, riding public transportation can save an individual an average of $8,691 a year based on recent average gas and parking prices.

Expanding public transportation is a proven strategy to make our transportation system more efficient and our roads less congested. Transit use saves more than 541 million hours in travel time and hundreds of millions of gallons of gasoline by helping to prevent traffic congestion each year. In the future, growth in vehicle travel will negate much of the emission savings from improved vehicle economy and new fuels. Even with a fully electrified transportation system, public transportation will be needed to help reduce traffic congestion, expand mobility, and reduce commuting costs, yet public transportation receives zero allowance value in ACESA.

A cap-and-trade program with investment in public transportation will produce more emissions savings and greater domestic job creation. Every $1 billion invested in federally aided public transportation capital projects supports approximately 30,000 jobs.

Congress shouldn’t miss this opportunity to make a long term investment in a sustainable future by expanding public transportation services.

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APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 member organizations including public transportation systems; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; and state associations and departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical public transportation services and products. APTA members serve more than 90 percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada.