Fuel thirst deepens despite more mass transit

[jpak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0135337120070803

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lofty gasoline prices have helped push public transit ridership to the highest level since the country spawned its highway system in the 1950s -- but the growth is not enough to drive down demand for motor fuel any time soon.

U.S. public transportation use rose to 10.1 billion rides last year, the most since 1957, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed the interstate highway bill into law, according to the American Public Transportation Association, an industry group.

The trend toward public transit has been driven in part by high retail gasoline prices, which have hit levels above $3 per gallon each summer since hurricanes damaged oil production and refineries along the Gulf of Mexico in 2005.

Ridership grew nearly 3 percent last year, an acceleration from the 30 percent it grew since 1995.

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[Gormy Cuss]

1. The price per gallon would probably need to be in the range of $10-$15 dollars to have a big impact.

Even then, if the price goes up at an average of $1.00/gallon each year people will absorb the cost and stay in their cars.

[MatrixEscape]

2. Image what it is already like ....

for people in rural areas and places not served by public transportation! No options but to try to car pool, etc.

Getting to and from work starts to compete with bills and food even at these prices.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Low population density areas would be hit hard.

Gasoline at $3/gallon is already causing a burden for some people with long commutes. Those commutes aren't really sustainable if gasoline prices spike to $10/gallon and it would leave people with hard choices like moving closer to the job or finding other work (some could carpool, but it's hard to arrange a carpool in rural areas -- that's more feasible in semi-rural suburbs with large housing developments.)
Still, public transit isn't out of the question as a way to address some of the need of some low density areas. Limited bus express service is one option, or public fixed-route van pools.

[jpak]

5. We had bus service in way-rural Maine back when I was young (not no more though..)

In my parent's day - rural bus service was often door-to-door. Most rural communities had train depots and daily train service.

In my grandparent's day, Maine (including rural Maine) had 535 miles of electric trolley lines that connected with the rail system. Narrow gage railroads served remote communities in western and northern Maine.

Rural park-'n-ride van/bus services and resurrection of historic light & heavy rail systems could go a long way to easing the pain of high gas prices in rural America...

[Gormy Cuss]

6. That was back when people worked in their own towns, or employers picked them up in a truck,

and most everyday supplies like food and dry goods could be purchased within your town or the next one over. For many working rural people it made no sense to own a car. Buses were an important link to the bigger towns with other jobs and services. For that matter, many city dwellers went without cars for the same reasons. Neither of my grandfathers owned a car until the 1950s. My parents' relatives were all over the state and it was typical to take the train or bus to visit each other. All that changed in the 1950s.

[kestrel91316]

3. I drive my 1988 Honda Accord about 75 miles in an average month.

It's high time SOMEBODY ELSE cut back on their gas use. I've done almost all I can.