Lynn—Without sufficient alternatives to driving, American families spent their entire economic stimulus check on high-priced gas. According to new analysis from the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG), since President Bush signed the tax rebates into law on February 13th, the average household has spent over $1500 filling their tanks. Gas costs were higher than average in areas without robust public transportation.
The group was joined in releasing its findings today at the Lynn Central Square commuter rail station by Lynn Mayor Edward Clancy, State Senator Thomas McGee, and State Representative Steven Walsh, who together called for better public transportation alternatives to high gas prices such as the Blue Line extension to Lynn.
“The economic impact of the Blue line is unmatched in terms of benefit to Lynn and the surrounding communities,” said State Representative Steven Walsh (D-Lynn). “Not only will it help the environment by reducing the numbers of cars on the road, but it will alleviate the effect of gas prices on area residents and drive economic development into the heart of the largest city north of Boston.”
According to the analysis released by MASSPIRG, since February when President Bush signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 into law, the average cost per household for gasoline has gone from just over $60 weekly to almost $100 per week, an increase of 40%. Americans have responded to higher gas costs by taking public transportation at record rates in areas where it is available. American drivers traveled fewer miles last year for the first time in over twenty years.
Transit agencies have meanwhile struggled to keep up with the increased ridership volume. Despite the success of new rail routes and bus lines around the country, new transit projects, like the Blue Line extension, have not moved forward due to lack of funding.
“To give commuters a long-term solution to high gas prices, we must give people more alternatives to driving,” said MASSPIRG Advocate, Eric Bourassa, “Unless we make it easier to drive less by investing in modern public transportation, American families will be stuck in neutral as they spend more and more at the pump.”
Analysis by MASSPIRG shows that public transportation created net oil savings totaling 3.4 billion gallons in 2006. This is enough to fuel 5.8 million cars for an entire year and to save about $13.6 billion in gasoline at today’s prices. In Greater Boston, public transit saved 154.1 million gallons of oil in 2006, the equivalent of $629 million at today’s gas prices.
Based on new analysis released by MASSPIRG and generated by Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology of 2000 Census data in 52 metro areas, communities with the best access to transit routes spent an average of $728 annually on all transportation costs, including gas, insurance, upkeep, and transit fares. Households in communities with the least access to transit, by contrast, spent an average of $925 per year.
In the greater Boston metro area, Households with the best access to transit routes spent an average of $599 monthly on all transportation costs compared to Households in neighborhoods with the least access to transit, which spent an average of $911 per month.
MASSPIRG pointed to the next federal transportation bill, which will set federal transportation priorities for the next six years, as a place to emphasize public transportation funding. And as soon as tomorrow, the US House of Representatives will vote on the Saving Energy through Transportation Act, a bill that would authorize close to 2 billion dollars to help transit agencies across the country keep up with increased demand and to expand services. As a state Massachusetts would receive almost $53 million over two years.
“America’s dependence on oil is a long-term problem. It requires long-term solutions, both from state and federal sources. Unless we make it easier for people to drive less, it won’t matter how many rebate checks the Treasury sends American families. We will still be depositing them over to Big Oil rather than building America’s prosperity,” said Bourassa.
MASSPIRG-Gas-Costs-Rebate-report.pdf