As public transportation professionals from across the world convene today in San Diego for the opening of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) International Public Transportation Expo (Expo) and the APTA annual meeting from October 6-8, public transit ridership is surging in the U.S. to modern record levels. In the second quarter of 2008, public transportation ridership increased by 5.2 percent as Americans took more than 2.8 billion trips. Public transit ridership currently is on track to beat the 50-year high of 10.3 billion trips that were taken last year.

“With gas prices at high levels, increasing numbers of people across the country are turning to public transportation, and what they are finding is that public transportation has been revolutionized by a wide array of technological advances,” said APTA President William W. Millar. “Many of these innovations will be showcased at this year’s Expo.”

More than 15,000 public transportation professionals and 800 exhibitors are attending the 2008 Expo to see the latest innovations in areas such as sustainability, emerging technologies, and safety and security. Recent years have seen a proliferation of new technologies that have greatly enhanced the riding experience and made it easier than ever to use public transportation. Onboard wireless Internet, GPS mapping services, smart fare cards, advanced passenger information technologies, and in-rail car television and radio networks are just a few examples of the innovations in today’s public transportation systems.

Public transportation also is leading the way in the area of sustainability, including energy security and combating climate change. Each year in the U.S., public transportation saves 4.2 billion gallons of gasoline – more than three times the amount of oil imported from Kuwait. Additionally, the use of public transit reduces the nation’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 37 million metric tons – equivalent to the electricity used by 4.9 million households.

“With today’s growing concern about energy security, public transit is a critical piece of the solution,” Millar said. “Increased use of public transportation is the single most effective way to reduce America’s energy consumption. However, the continued surges in ridership reinforce the urgent need for increased investment from state, local and federal governments.”

In a recent APTA survey, 85 percent of public transit systems responding to the survey reported they were at capacity with crowded rail cars and buses. The survey also reveals the most common limitation is budgetary, with 65 percent reporting insufficient revenue to operate additional service. Consequently, more than 60 percent of the public transportation systems said they are considering fare increases and 35 percent are considering service cuts, some for the second time in less than a year.