Why Is Transit Ridership Still Strong?
As PBS reports, transit ridership appears strong even though gas prices have been falling. Or at least ridership was strong through September, the last reliable count:
More than 2.8 billion trips were taken from July through September – an increase of 6.5 percent over the third quarter of 2007. In that time, there was an increase in ridership of 8.5 percent on light rail (streetcars), 7.2 percent on buses, 6.3 percent on commuter rail and 5.2 percent on subways.
Last year, 10.3 billion trips were taken on U.S. public transit – the highest number of trips taken in fifty years.
But how can this be? Hasn't everyone heard that falling gas prices mean that we'll soon be driving Ford F-150s on two-hour commutes from the exurbs? Won't gas consumption start increasing dramatically?
Maybe, but I think not. At least not right away. Here's why...
