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 WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public transportation’s value as a solution to relieving congestion was validated once again by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) 2011 Urban Mobility Report. The report looks at road congestion in 439 U.S. urban areas and notes that relieving congestion will be critical to keep up with job growth as the economy rebounds. As in past years, the data overwhelmingly shows the importance of public transportation in relieving congestion. 

The 2011 Urban Mobility Report makes clear that without public transportation services, travelers would have suffered an additional 796 million hours of delay and consumed 303 million more gallons of fuel. Had there been no public transportation service available in the 439 urban areas studied, congestion costs for 2010 would have risen by nearly $17 billion from $101 to $118 billion.

“This report clearly shows as our economy rebounds, expanding public transportation use is key to reducing traffic congestion,” said American Public Transportation Association (APTA) President William Millar. “Even if you don’t ride public transportation, there are clear benefits in supporting expansion of public transit options. Better public transportation in your community means less congestion on the roads.”

The association notes in addition to its proven record of reducing congestion, public transportation offers economic benefits. Every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports 36,000 jobs. Public transportation plays an important role in helping people commute to work; nearly 60 percent of all trips on public transportation involve travel to and from job sites.

U.S. public transportation use also produces significant energy-savings benefits. Each year 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline are saved because of public transportation use.

“This report serves as further evidence that Congress needs to pass a long-term transportation bill to expand public transit as part of the solution to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” said Millar. “Greater investment in public transportation has the benefit of putting people to work as well as getting people to work.”

To see the 2011 Urban Mobility Report, go to http://mobility.tamu.edu/ums/.