Ride public transportation, save ten thousand dollars a year
Individuals who ride public transportation are saving an average of $9,343 annually, a new study calculates.
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) just released numbers, based on gas prices and parking rates as of July 7th, that determines transit riders save on average $779 per month.
The national average for gas was $2.72 a gallon, and the cost for an unreserved parking space in a downtown business district was $154.23 a month. APTA also calculated car maintenance costs, as well as prevailing transit rates.
The greatest savings are seen in the major metro areas with the highest costs of living. New York-area commuters could save close to $14,000 a year. Bostonians and San Franciscians will save at least $12,000 a year. That could shift a lot of money into more productive parts of the economy. Of course, unfortunately, public transit is not an option to many Americans, since metro areas are laid out as haphazard, sprawling suburbs where the car is the only way to get around.
| Ranking | City | Monthly Savings | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $1,158 | $13,901 |
| 2 | Boston | $1,040 | $12,475 |
| 3 | San Francisco | $1,029 | $12,347 |
| 4 | Chicago | $955 | $11,458 |
| 5 | Seattle | $946 | $11,356 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | $934 | $11,208 |
| 7 | Honolulu | $902 | $10,822 |
| 8 | Los Angeles | $850 | $10,205 |
| 9 | San Diego | $837 | $10,049 |
| 10 | Minneapolis | $830 | $9,959 |
| 11 | Portland | $813 | $9,758 |
| 12 | Denver | $812 | $9,747 |
| 13 | Cleveland | $808 | $9,699 |
| 14 | Baltimore | $789 | $9,469 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $759 | $9,108 |
| 16 | Miami | $757 | $9,082 |
| 17 | Dallas | $738 | $8,855 |
| 18 | Atlanta | $729 | $8,745 |
| 19 | Las Vegas | $728 | $8,738 |
| 20 | Pittsburgh | $687 | $8,248 |
Source: APTA
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com