On Thursday, June 16th, TAM members across the state of Maryland will celebrate National Dump the Pump Day, a day dedicated to using public transportation instead of driving to save money. In its 11th year and designated by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Dump the Pump Day is promoted by transportation providers across the country in an effort to reduce congestion and improve air quality. Several Maryland transportation agencies will offer free rides on their systems, including Harford Transit LINK and TransIT Services of Frederick County, while others will host promotional fairs and provide giveaways.
According to APTA's April Transit Saving Report, a two-person household can save, on the average, $9,312 a year by downsizing to one car. In addition, public transportation offers job access to millions of Americans since nearly 60 percent of trips taken on public transit are work commutes. Public transportation use also reduces our nation's dependence on foreign oil by 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline a year and saves 37 million metric tons of carbon emissions annually. Last, but not least, public transportation has a proven track record of reducing congestion. The latest research shows that in 2011, U.S. public transportation use saved 856 million hours in travel time, 450 million gallons of fuel, and $21 billion in congestion costs in 498 urban areas.
