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Save Money and Help Our Country Reduce its Reliance on Oil
Washington, DC
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Take Public Transit on the 5th Annual National Dump the Pump Day (June 17)
On June 17, people across the country will "Dump the Pump" and ride public transportation on the 5th annual National Dump the Pump Day. Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), which is partnering with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Sierra Club this year, the National Dump the Pump Day is a public awareness day that highlights the benefits of public transportation, two of which are saving money and promoting energy independence. "This year offers more than an opportunity for people to save money by using public transit," said APTA President William Millar. "Given the Gulf spill crisis, Americans can also make a statement in support of public transit and its ability to help our country reduce its reliance on oil. "U.S. public transit ridership saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline annually," Millar said. "America needs to be energy independent and public transportation plays a critical role in our country attaining energy independence." Representatives from the NRDC and the Sierra Club agree that public transportation is part of the solution for helping our country reduce its reliance on oil. "Preventing future national tragedies like the Gulf spill requires moving America beyond oil, and Dump the Pump Day reminds us that public transportation options such as trains and buses are important tools for driving down our dangerous dependence," said Deron Lovaas, NRDC Federal Transportation Policy Director. "Taking transit this Thursday and every day after is something we all can do in response to the BP oil disaster," said Ann Mesnikoff, the Sierra Club's Green Transportation Campaign Director. "Public transportation is key to ending our dependence on oil and reducing our global warming pollution." Besides helping our country reduce its dependence on oil, people can also help improve their bank balances. The average household spends 18 cents of every dollar on transportation and 94 percent of this goes to buying, maintaining, and operating cars – the largest expenditure after housing. In addition, according to the monthly APTA Transit Savings Report, which tracks savings for public transit users, the national average savings per year is more than $9,000 for an individual in a two-person household who downsizes from two cars to one car. More than 120 public transportation systems are participating in National Dump the Pump Day activities this year. Some public transit systems are offering free or reduced rides; holding contests with giveaways such as free transit passes; and spreading the word through social media. Proclamations have been issued, including one from Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson. The number of participating organizations is growing every day. Below is the current list of organizations that are participating in the 2010 National Dump the Pump Day. 2010 National Dump the Pump Day Participants Akron, OH - METRO Regional Transit Authority Albany, NY - Capital District Transportation Authority Altoona, PA – Altoona Metro Transit Ames, IA - CyRide Arlington, VA – Arlington Transit Arlington Heights, IL – Pace Suburban Bus Athens, OH – Athens Public Transit Atlanta, GA – Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Austin, TX - Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bloomington-Normal, IL – Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System Boston, MA – Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Bremerton, WA – Kitsap Transit Bucks County, PA - Transportation Management Association Burnsville, MN - Minnesota Valley Transit Authority California, MD – STS Transit Chapel Hill, NC – Chapel Hill Transit Charleston, SC - Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority Charleston, SC – Transben, LTD Charlotte, NC - Charlotte Area Transit System Chicago, IL –Chicago Transit Authority Chicago, IL – Regional Transportation Authority Cincinnati, OH - Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority Cleveland, OH – Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority Columbus, OH – Ohio Public Transit Association Columbus, OH - Central Ohio Transit Authority Concord, CA – Central Contra Costa Transit Authority Corpus Christi, TX – Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority Dallas, TX – DRI Corporation Denver, CO – Regional Transportation District Des Moines, IA - Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Des Moines, IA - Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority Detroit, MI – Detroit Department of Transportation Detroit, MI – Detroit Metro Region Detroit, MI - Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Dubois, PA – DuFAST Dubuque, IA – Keyline Transit Ellicott City, MD – Transportation Association of Maryland Everett, WA – Community Transit Everett, WA – Everett Transit Flagstaff, AZ - Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority Flint, MI - Mass Transportation Authority Forth Worth, TX – Forth Worth Transportation Authority Frederick, MD - TransIT Services of Frederick County Gainesville, GA – Hall Area Transit Glouster, OH – Logan Public Transit Granite City, IL – Madison County Transit Greensboro, NC - Greensboro Transit Authority Gulfport, MS – Coast Transit Authority Hampton, VA – Hampton Road Transit Harrisburg, PA - Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association Johnstown, PA - CamTran Kansas City, MO – Kansas City Area Transportation Authority Lafayette, IN - CityBus Tacoma, WA – Pierce Transit Lancaster, OH – Lancaster Public Transit System Lancaster, PA – Red Rose Transit Authority Laredo, TX - Laredo Transit Management, Inc. Logan, UT – Cache Valley Transit District Louisville, KY - Transit Authority of River City Los Angeles, CA – Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority Lynchburg, VA – Greater Lynchburg Transit Company Malvern, PA - Transportation Management Association of Chester County Mason City, IA – Mason City Public Transit Memphis, TN – Memphis Area Transit Authority Miami, FL – Miami Dade Transit Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee County Transit System Moncks Corner, SC – TriCounty Link Monterey, CA – Monterey Salinas Transit Muncie, IN - Muncie Indiana Transit System Nantucket, MA – Nantucket Regional Transit Authority Nashville, TN - Nashville MTA and the Regional Transportation Authority New Bedford, MA - Southeastern Regional Transit Authority North Charleston, SC - Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments Olathe, KS – Johnson County Transit Olympia, WA – Intercity Transit Orange, CA – Orange County Transportation Authority Orlando, FL - LYNX Oshkosh, WI - Oshkosh Transit System Painesville, OH - Laketran Panama City, FL - Bay Town Trolley Park City, UT – Park City Transit Pensacola, FL - West Florida Regional Planning Council Peoria, IL – Greater Peoria Mass Transit District Philadelphia, PA – Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority Pittsburgh, PA - Port Authority of Allegheny County Pompano Beach, FL – Broward County Transit Pompano Beach, FL - South Florida Regional Transportation Authority / Tri-Rail Port Huron, MI – Blue Water Area Transit Portsmouth, OH - Access Scioto County Public Transit Reading, PA - Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority Research Triangle Park, NC – Triangle Transit Richmond, VA – GRTC Transit System Riverside, CA – Riverside Transit Agency Rockville, MD – Montgomery County Transit Services/Ride On St. Joseph, MO – St. Joseph Transit St. Louis, MO – Bi-State Development Agency San Antonio, TX – VIA Metropolitan Transit San Bernardino, CA - Omintrans San Carlos, CA – Caltrain San Carlos, CA - SamTrans San Diego, CA – Metropolitan Transit System San Francisco, CA – Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District San Francisco, CA – San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency San Jose, CA - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Santa Cruz, CA – Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District Santa Fe, NM - The North Central Regional Transit District Sarasota, FL – Sarasota County Area Transit Savannah, GA - Chatham Area Transit Scranton, PA - County of Lackawanna Transit System Seattle, WA – Sound Transit Seattle, WA – King County Metro Transit Sioux City, IA – Sioux City Transit Spokane, WA – Spokane Transit Springfield, MO - City Utilities Transit State College, PA - Centre Area Transportation Authority Tallahassee, FL - StarMetro Taunton, MA - Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority Topeka, KS - Kansas Public Transit Association Washington, DC – DC Circulator Washington, DC – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority Williamsburg, VA - Williamsburg Area Transit Authority Wilmington, DE – Delaware Transit Corporation Winston-Salem, NC - Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation Woodbridge, VA - Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission # # # APTA is a nonprofit international association of more than 1,500 public and private member organizations, engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne passenger services, and high-speed rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. More than 90 percent of the people using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA member systems. Virginia Miller
Senior Manager-Media Relations
American Public Transportation Association
Washington, DC
202-496-4816
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