March 16, 2007

CONTACT: Jenna Reedy, Business Development Manager
Day: 849-0708
Fax: 848-4853
Email: jreedy@rabbittransit.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            

AMERICANS TAKE MORE THAN 10 BILLION TRIPS
ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN ALMOST FIFTY YEARS

York, PA – If you thought you were seeing more riders on public transit, it’s not your imagination. rabbittransit announced this week that Americans took 10.1 billion public transportation trips nationwide in 2006 – the most in 49 years. Over the last decade, public transportation’s growth rate outpaced the growth rate of the population and the growth rate of vehicle miles traveled on our nation’s highways. In York County, transit ridership for the first seven months of Fiscal Year 2007 is up 27.2% when compared to the same period for Fiscal Year 2006.

“Reaching this milestone is a result of the quality of service we provide in helping people get to destinations important to them,” said rabbittransit Executive Director, Richard Farr. “Many riders realize the benefits of saving money from rising fuel costs and avoiding congestion. They also like knowing that their transportation choice is contributing to help reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and global warming.” 

Public transit use nationwide is up 30 percent since 1995. That is more than double the growth rate of the population (12 percent) and higher than the growth rate for the vehicle miles traveled on our roads (24 percent) during that same period. To put the 10.1 billion public transportation trips in perspective, transit trips outnumber domestic airline trips by 15 to one.   

“Public transportation is a proven way to meet our national, regional and local transportation goals,” said Farr. “As Congress and our state and local elected officials look to find ways to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil, we call on them to increase investment and include incentives to encourage further increases in transit ridership.”

10 Billion Trips Press Release: PDF | Word

rabbittransit, York County’s public transportation system, provides a variety of transportation services to the residents of York County. Nearly 6,000 people depend on rabbittransit each day to get to work, medical facilities, school and other life-sustaining activities. rabbittransit is dedicated to helping all York Countians get to where they want to go.