Public Transportation and the Reduction
of
U.S.
Petroleum Consumption
Tuesday,
January 9, 2007
12:30
- 2:00 pm, 2142
Rayburn
House
Office
Building
Lunch
Provided—Please RSVP
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you
to a Congressional briefing presenting the findings of a new
report by ICF International entitled, “Public
Transportation and Petroleum Savings in the U.S.: Reducing
National and Household Dependence on Oil."
Commissioned by the American Public Transportation
Association, this independent, quantitative analysis looks for
the first time at what public transportation saves individual
households and the nation as a whole.
It also examines a possible future in which twice as many
Americans would have the choice to use public transportation.
The report finds that current public transportation service in the
United States
reduces overall petroleum
consumption by millions of gallons a day and saves those
households that take advantage of public transportation
thousands of dollars in local transportation costs, compared to
a household with no access to public transportation service.
The reduction in petroleum consumption is attributed to three factors:
1) the efficiency of carrying multiple passengers in each
vehicle; 2) the reduction in traffic congestion from fewer
automobiles on the road; and 3) the use of fuel efficient buses
and electric rail cars.
The Leadership of the 110th Congress has said that addressing
energy and climate change are legislative priorities.
This new report provides an important look at the role of
public transportation in addressing these issues.
Our speakers will discuss how transportation and land use
policies can be fundamental components of energy and climate
change initiatives.
Briefing
Speakers:
William
W. Millar, President, American Public Transportation Association
Linda
Bailey, Senior
Associate, ICF International
Powerpoint Presentation (pdf)
Deron
Lovaas, Vehicles
Campaign Director, Natural Resources Defense Council
Read
the Full Report (pdf)
Audio Recording- Briefing and
Q&A
Since 1995, public transportation ridership has gone up by
25 percent. Transit
riders rode over 46 billion miles in 2004, reducing fuel use for
private automobile travel proportionately.
However, according to the 2001 National Household
Transportation Survey (NHTS 2001), only half of all households
have access to public transportation. Of those residents, not
all have service that can deliver them to their destinations for
work, school, shopping, and socializing. Of those who can, many
have seized the opportunity to save money on fuel consumption by
taking public transportation.
A dramatic expansion of public transportation service and usage
across the
United States
would provide a
significant opportunity for
U.S.
households to reduce
their spending on petroleum consumption, and for the nation to
reduce its dependence on petroleum as a fuel source, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions.
Lunch will be provided. Please
email or call
Leanne
Lamusga
to RSVP or for more information
llamusga@eesi.org
or 202-662-1884
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