AREA TRANSIT AGENCIES CELEBRATE “DUMP THE PUMP DAY” BY URGING AREA MOTORISTS TO TRY PUBLIC TRANSIT
June 18, 2008 -- A coalition of Metro area transit agencies, advocacy groups and regional transit services will gather in downtown Detroit on Thursday, June 19, 2008 to celebrate “Dump the Pump Day”. This national event, now in its third year, is designed to educate motorists about the many benefits of choosing public transportation which include saving money, conserving gasoline and helping to reduce greenhouse gases.
Detroit’s “Dump the Pump Day” festivities will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Cadillac Square near Campus Martius. Activities will include demonstrations on how to access public transit along with route schedules and information, resources, entertainment and prizes. There will also be presentations beginning at noon; one featuring Jackie Paige, Fox 2 News Morning’s Traffic Authority.
“From coast to coast, consumers are looking for ways to beat the high cost of gasoline, and for ways to protect the environment,” said MDOT Senior Advisor Robert Davis. “Our goal today is to let people in the Detroit metropolitan area know that they can make it from Point A to Point B by using public transit. In fact, taking public transportation is the best way to save time and money and to avoid the stress of commuting.”
Detroit’s “Dump the Pump” event is sponsored by V98.7 Smooth Jazz and AAA Downtown Detroit. It is a collaborative effort among the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART), the Detroit People Mover (DPM), the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG)
Rideshare program, Compuware’s Commuter Assistance Center, MDOT’s MichiVan Commuter Vanpools and Transportation Riders United (TRU).
“This is the first time we have all gotten together to share one common theme,” said Davis. “We realize that there is a need to educate the public about the transit resources available in Southeast Michigan and the financial and environmental benefits that using these resources can bring about.”
Households with two workers and one car that use public transportation save $6,200 every year, compared to a household with no access to public transportation.
Public transportation also has an important role to play in helping to reduce greenhouse gases. According to a new study prepared by ICF International and titled Broadening the Connection between Public Transportation and Energy Conservation, public transportation reduces our nation’s carbon emissions by 37 million metric tons annually -- equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households.
The national “Dump the Pump Day” event is sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). “With gas prices higher than ever and financial concerns affecting everyone, now is the time to save money and ride public transportation,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “The ‘National Dump the Pump Day’ on June 19 is an opportunity for people across the country to make a difference in their wallets, as well as in the environment.”
Facts
One bus takes 60 cars off the road.
A commuter taking the bus just twice a week from Farmington to work at the Rennaissance Center saves almost $100 each month.
Driving 26 miles costs $13 each way and takes 35 minutes, assuming no major traffic, while the bus costs just $1.50 each way and takes 55 minutes, which can be spent reading or relaxing.*
A student riding the bus from Birmingham to Wayne State University every day saves $320 each month, adding less than 15 minutes additional commute time.
Driving the 21 miles each way costs $10.60 and takes about 30 during rush hour. Riding the bus costs $1.50 and takes 43 minutes, which can be spent studying.*
A traveler heading from downtown Detroit to Metro Airport for a four-day vacation has several options:
o Drive their car and park which is 50 minutes each way and $70 total
o Take a taxi service, spending 40 minutes each way and $100 total
o Take the bus, spending 90 minutes each way and $3 total
In a vanpool with ten passengers and gas at $4.00 gallon, you are paying 40 cents per gallon a gas.
If Americans used public transit for 10% of daily travel needs, as Europeans do, the United States would reduce its dependence on imported oil by more than 40%.
Investments in new rapid transit lines can create 20,000 jobs, increase property value 30-50% and return $8 to the local economy for every $1 invested.
*(Costs based on the federal driving reimbursement rate of $0.505 per mile and the full bus fare)