Transit ridership is up (duh)
'Cause seriously, who wants to pay four bucks a gallon for gas? Ridership on subways in major urban areas, including Southern California, South Florida, and Denver, Colorado. It's also up 11% in Philly, which is surprising, considering the city just raised its transit fees.
And it's not just trains that commuters are opting for: motor scooter sales jumped 24% in the beginning of 2008; Seattle reports a 17% increase in vanpool riders; and bike tip blogger Paul Dorn reported that traffic tripled on his two websites that offer cycling tips for commuters. (But commuters are still wary of bicycle use - this article reports that, though bike use is up 6% in Philly, for example, most people don't feel safe cycling to work). Four words: MORE BIKE LANES, PHILLY!
via [USA Today]
Am I the only one who doesn't necessarily see these high gas prices as a bad thing? Granted, I live in a big city and have always commuted to work by public transportation (I don't own a car), but many people could do the same thing and simply choose not to. In fact, I often hear stories of my bus-rider friends getting to work more quickly than my car-driving friends, who often get caught up in traffic jams.
So, just to go over this again: higher gas prices equal less dependence on foreign oil and carbon-emitting vehicles, and force people to seek out more earth-friendly transport options.
It's Energy Independence Day! 
Green Your 4th of July Celebration
The Importance of Pollination - It's Not Just Bee Sex
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-16-2008 @ 10:30AM
peabody52 said...
Good comments about mass transit.
I wonder if city people who own cars might drive less responsibly than rural drivers.
Living where I do in a rural area that's beautiful because of the lack of stores, we have to plan our driving, and combine trips in order to save on gas. Driving farther doesn't always mean wasting gas...
We see our future right here outside our windows, and value it.
Reply