In all corners of the United States, from Los Angeles to Seattle to Boston and southern Florida, to Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, Cincinnati and Nashville, including Honolulu and Anchorage, millions of Americans riding on more than 125 public transportation systems are "dumping the pump" today for the sixth annual National Dump the Pump Day. Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), in partnership with the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), this national public awareness day encourages people to save money by parking the car and using public transportation instead.
"It's no surprise that this year's National Dump the Pump Day is a huge success," said APTA president William Millar. "Using public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices – if it is available in your community. Additionally, riding public transportation on National Dump the Pump Day helps the environment and reduces our country's dependence on oil."
With high gas prices, more and more people are turning to public transportation as a way of saving money. Transportation ridership is increasing around the country, from Chicago, where the Chicago Transit Authority added more than 300,000 riders in the first quarter of the year – enough to fill Wrigley Field more than six times over – to Olympia, Wash., where Intercity Transit has witnessed record level fixed-route ridership in four of the past five months. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (Boston) saw the highest monthly ridership in April since September 2008 and the Nashville MTA (Nashville, Tenn.) saw a 29 percent increase in train and bus routes in April. Examples of double digit increases in ridership in May are also evident in places like Triangle Transit (Research Triangle Park, N.C.) which had a 31.7 percent increase in ridership; Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (Tampa, Fla.) with a 16 percent increase; City Utilities of Springfield (Springfield, Mo.) with a 13 percent increase; and Muncie Indiana Transit Systems (Muncie, Ind.) saw a 11.1 percent ridership increase.
"When gas prices are high, people look for ways to save money and so it is not surprising to see ridership increases at public transit systems across the country," said Millar. "This shows that people want public transportation as a travel option besides driving."
Pointing out that only 54 percent of households in the United States have access to public transportation, Millar said, "All levels of government – federal, state and local – need to invest more in public transportation so that all Americans have access to public transit services."
Some public transportation systems are offering free rides, holding contests, and providing giveaways to reward their riders and to interest new riders. Below is a list of public transportation systems and public transportation associations that are participating in National Dump the Pump Day:
- Albany, N.Y. – Capital District Transportation Authority
- Albuquerque, N.M. - Rio Metro Regional Transit District
- Alexandria, Va. – Alexandria Transit (DASH)
- Anchorage, Ark.– Anchorage Public Transit
- Ann Arbor, Much. - Ann Arbor Transportation Authority
- Arlington Heights, Ill. – Pace Suburban Bus
- Atlanta, Ga. - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
- Austin, Texas - Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- Bastavia, Ohio - Clermont Transportation Connection
- Bonner Springs, Kan. – Tiblow Transit
- Boston, Mass.- Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
- Bremerton, Wash. – Kitsap Transit
- Butler, Pa. – Butler Transit Authority
- Charleston, S.C. – Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority
- Chattanooga, Tenn. – Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority
- Chicago, Ill. – Regional Transportation Authority
- Chicago, Ill. – Chicago Transit Authority
- Cincinnati, Ohio – Cincinnati Metro
- Clarksburg, W. Va. – Mountain Line Transit
- Cleveland, Ohio – Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority
- Columbus, Ohio - Central Ohio Transit Authority
- Concord, Calif. - Central Contra Costa Transit Authority
- Corpus Christi, Texas - The Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority
- Dallas, Texas- Dallas Area Rapid Transit
- Dayton, Ohio – Greater Dayton RTA
- Denver, Colo,. – Regional Transportation District
- Des Moines, Iowa - Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority
- Durham, N.C. – Durham Area Transit Authority
- Eden Prairie, Minn. – SouthWest Transit
- Elkton, Md. – Cecil Transit
- Ellicot City, Md. – Transportation Association of Maryland
- Enid, Okla. – Enid Public Transit Authority
- Everett, Wash. – Community Transit
- Everett, Wash. – Everett Transit
- Flagstaff, Ariz. – Flagstaff Public Transit
- Flint, Mich. – Mass Transportation Authority
- Fort Meyers, Fla. – Fort Meyers Public Transit
- Forth Worth, Texas – Forth Worth Transportation Authority (The T)
- Franklin, Tenn. – Franklin Transit
- Gilbert, Ariz. – Arizona Transit Association
- Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Rapid
- Greensboro, N.C. – Greensboro Transit Authority
- Greensboro, N.C. - Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation
- Harrisburg, Pa. – Pennsylvania Public Transportation Association
- Hazelton, Pa. – Hazelton Public Transit
- Holland, Mich. – Macatawa Area Express
- Honolulu, Hawaii – The Bus
- Houston, Texas - Metropolitan Transit Authority
- Huron, Mich. – Blue Water Area Transit
- Indianapolis, Ind. – IndyGo
- Ithaca, N.Y. – Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit, Inc.
- Jacksonville, Fla. – Jacksonville Transportation Authority
- Johnstown, Pa. - Cambria County Transit Authority (CAMTRAN)
- Kansas City, Mo. – Kansas City Area Transportation Authority
- Kingman, Ariz. – Kingman Area Regional Transit
- Kingston, Pa. - Luzerne County Transportation Authority
- Kittanning, Pa. – Town and Country Transit
- Lafayette, Ind. – CityBus
- Lancaster, Pa. – Red Rose Transit Authority
- Las Vegas, Nev. – Regional Transportation Commission
- Lexington, Ky. - Transit Authority of Lexington (LexTran)
- Lincoln, Neb. – Star Tran
- Los Angeles, Calif. - Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
- Louisville, Ky. – Transit Authority of River City
- Lubbock, Texas – Lubbock Transit Authority
- Mason City, Iowa – Mason City Transit System
- Milton, Fla. – Santa Rosa Transit
- Milwaukee, Wis. - Milwaukee County Transit System
- Minneapolis, Minn. – Metro Transit
- Mobile, Ala. – Escambia County Area Transit
- Modesto, Calif. – Modesto Area Express
- Monterey, Calif. – Monterey-Salinas Transit
- Morgantown, W. Va. – Mountain Line Transit Authority
- Muncie, Ind. – Muncie Indiana Transit System
- Myrtle Beach, S.C. - Waccamaw Regional Transportation Authority
- Nantucket, Mass. - Nantucket Regional Transit Authority
- Nashville, Tenn. - Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority
- New Orleans, La. - New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
- Normal, Ill. - Bloomington-Normal Public Transit System
- Norman, Okla. - Cleveland Area Rapid Transit (CART)
- Olympia, Wash. – Intercity Transit
- Olympia, Wash, – Washington State Ferries
- Orange, Calif.– Orange County Transportation Authority
- Orlando, Fla – LYNX
- Oxnard, Calif. – Gold Coast Transit
- Painesville, Ohio – Laketran
- Palm Beach, Fla. – PalmTran
- Panama City, Fla. - Bay Town Trolley
- Pensacola, Fla. - Escambia County Area Transit
- Peoria, Ill. - Greater Peoria Mass Transit District (CityLink)
- Phoenix, Ariz. – Valley Metro
- Pompano Beach, Fla. – Broward County Transit Division
- Pompano Beach, Fla. – South Florida Regional Transportation Authority
- Portland, Ore/ – Oregon Transit Association
- Providence, R.I. – Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
- Reading, Pa. - Berks Area Regional Transportation Authority
- Research Triangle, N.C. – Triangle Transit
- Rio Vista, Calif. - Delta Breeze Transit
- Riverside, Calif. – Riverside Transit Agency
- Rutland, Vt. – Marble Valley Regional Transit District
- Saint Claire, Pa. - Schuylkill Transportation System
- Saint Louis, Mo. – St. Louis Metro
- Salisbury, Mo. – Shore Transit
- Salt Lake City, Utah – Utah Transit Authority
- San Antonio, Texas – VIA Metropolitan Transit
- San Bernardino, Calif. – Omnitrans
- San Carlos, Calif. - San Mateo County Transit District
- San Diego, Calif. – Metropolitan Transit System
- San Francisco, Calif. – San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
- Sandusky, Ohio – Sandusky Transit
- San Jose, Calif. - Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
- Santa Barbara, Calif. – Santa Barbara MTD
- Santa Fe, N.M. - North Central Regional Transit District
- Savannah, Ga. – Chatham Area Transit Authority
- Scranton, Pa. - County of Lackawanna Transit System
- Seattle, Wash. – King County Metro
- Seattle, Wash. – Sound Transit
- Sherman, Texas – Taps Public Transit
- Sierra Vista, Ariz. – Vista Transit
- South Bend, Ind. - Transpo
- Springfield, Mo. – City Utilities of Springfield, MO
- State College, Pa. - Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA)
- Tacoma, Wash. – Pierce Transit
- Tallahassee, Fla. – StarMetro
- Tampa, Fla. – Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority
- Tucson, Ariz. – Sun Tran
- Watertown, N.Y. – CitiBus
- Washington, D.C. – Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- West Covina, Calif. – Foothill Transit
- Yuma, Ariz. – Yuma County Area Transit
