US fuel prices push public transport numbers to 50-year high
Record fuel prices in the US have spurred the highest level of public transport use in the country in half a century.
A report by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has found that US commuters took more than 10 billion trips on trains and buses in the last year.
Light rail systems had the highest percentage of increased passenger use, up 6.1 per cent in 2007.
"Public transportation use is up 32 per cent since 1995, a figure that is more than double the growth rate of the population (15 per cent) and over the growth rate for the vehicle miles travelled on our nation's highways (24 per cent) for that same period," the report said.
The Association has called for more federal funding so that Americans can access affordable
transport options.
"Now with gas prices predicted to rise to $US4 ($4.30) a gallon, there is a greater urgency for higher federal funding to expand US public transportation systems so Americans have an affordable transportation choice," APTA president William W Millar said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/11/2186619.htm?section=justin
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4 comments:
Congratulations to CAST for taking the initiative on transport needs and conducting a successful inaugural meeting. Yes, rising fuel prices and awareness of environmental concerns will usher in a new era of public transport. We need to do something about it.
public transport meetings need to be on public transport routes
CAST is always open to suggestions for cheap, accessible and available venues suitable for meetings of various types.
A problem in Cairns is a lack of suitable venues for "civil society" activities such as public meetings - or at least good knowledge of these.
re meeting places:
You can use the meeting rooms at the public libraries, and there's no hire charge if the group is not charging admission. I remember hiring the City one some years ago for a Saturday morning meeting.
Personally I can't get to the Forest garden meeting - too far to cycle - but I don't need to attend every meeting & am happy just to go to ones in town. Likewise I think spreading venues far and wide is a good ides, and evening mtgs in areas where people live make sense.
Isn't there some sort of Marlin coast community centre in Smithfield? CWA Halls are also pretty cheap - there's one in Grove Street,i.e. Parramatta/North Cairns area.
Think laterally - would a coffee shop let CAST meet off-peak if we agreed to buy a drink each? Do we have contacts with businesses or churches with an outdoor seating area? Schools? Even Sunbus, a bicycle shop or similar who'd like a little publicity? The ground level under someone's Queenslander?
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