Public Ridership Surges Despite Lower Gas Prices

Houston drivers enjoyed regular unleaded gas prices averaging $1.64 a gallon last weekend, a decline of five cents from the week before, according to AAA Texas.

But despite falling gas prices, Americans continue to ride public transit at record levels, says the American Public Transportation Association, a nonprofit trade group.

More than 2.8 billion trips were taken on public transit in the third quarter of 2008. That's an increase of 6.5 percent over the same period, year before. This is the biggest quarterly hike in public transportation ridership in 25 years.

"The record increase in public transportation trips demonstrates the exceptional value of public transportation in today's economy," said William W. Millar, APTA president. "The fact that public transit ridership surged while gas prices and highway traffic declined, shows a growing demand for more bus and rail services."

If you're driving your car in and around Houston's spaghetti bowl of freeways during drive time, I'm sure it doesn't feel like freeway driving decreased in the third quarter. But it has nationwide.

Vehicle miles of travel (VMT) on the nation's highways declined in the third quarter of this year by 4.6 percent from the same period in 2007, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Last year, 10.3 billion trips were taken on public transit in this country - the highest number of trips in half a century. Public transit rose in the first quarter by 3.4 percent. In the second quarter, it climbed by 5.2 percent while gas prices also climbed to more than $4 a gallon.

The third quarter showed a continued increase of 6.5 percent, confirming the trend of more Americans turning to public transit to get around.

Light rail saw the highest percentage of ridership increase among all modes of public transit with an 8.5 percent increase in the third quarter.

Baltimore (19.6 percent), Minneapolis (18.3 percent) and Sacramento (16.5 percent) saw the biggest increases. Dallas recorded a 15 percent increase in light-rail ridership.

The second largest ridership increase was in buses at 7.2 percent. Bus transit in all sizes of communities saw an increase. The top three increases at large bus agencies occurred in Orange County, CA (23.9 percent); Phoenix (15.2 percent); and San Diego (14.4 percent).

Commuter rail grew by 6.3 percent. Albuquerque (35.8 percent); Pompano Beach, FL (32.9 percent); and New Haven (32.2 percent) saw the largest increase.

Heavy rail (subways and elevated trains) ridership grew by 5.2 percent with Los Angeles topping the list at 14.1 percent.

Read more ridership stats here.

"To sum it up, public transportation is good for the economy, good for the environment and good for energy independence," said Millar.