A Consumer’s Guide to Touring American Cities in a More Environmentally Friendly Way Via Public Transportation

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By touring via public transportation, it will be greener for the environment while you can keep more green in your wallet!  This summer, take public transportation to hit all the major tourist attractions and the not so obvious ones during your city visit. 

When you ‘Go Green’ on public transportation, there’s no need to worry about hassling with the expense of driving and parking your own car, or paying for a rental car or the expense of numerous cab rides around the city.

This guide will help you tour green by providing information on:

• Day and visitor passes for the public transportation systems across the country. 
• Links to trip planners, transit maps and directions for the top ten American city destinations with established transit systems. 
• Highlights of upcoming city events accessible by public transit for July 4th and other summer activities in these ten large cities. 
• APTA’s Green Travel Forecast will give you a snapshot of what travelers like you had to say about using public transportation to get around large cities.

Research for APTA’s Green Travel Forecast is based on a national survey of 33,719 adults by Synovate, a leading market research firm.  The survey has a plus or minus error rate of +/- 1 percent.

Top Ten City Destinations for Travelers Who Use Public Transportation

1. New York City (48%)
2. Washington, DC (45%)
3. Boston, MA (43%)
4. San Francisco (40%)
5. Philadelphia (34%)
6. Chicago (31%)
7. Seattle (30%)
8. Las Vegas (26%)
9. Los Angeles (26%)
10. Atlanta (22%)


Source: Synovate, June 2007

THE GREEN TRAVEL FORECAST 2007

Up to 48 Percent of City Summer Travelers Will Go Green!

While you may think of a local public transportation system as a way to get back and forth to work, many savvy travelers are using it as a cost effective way to tour some of the hot destinations and summer events a city has to offer. 

In fact, in the first-ever Green Travel Forecast, a survey of 33,000 adults conducted by Synovate for the American Public Transportation Association, showed that:

• 90 million American adults are projected to travel to a large American city this summer. 
• On average, one out of three will tour green by using public transportation.
• Travelers’ use of public transportation will reach as high as 48 percent in New York City, the nation’s top destination for public transit use among visitors. 

 

Become a Part of a Growing Trend

The survey shows that travelers’ use of public transportation will increase this summer.  Twenty-eight percent of those who will use public transit said that they are more likely to use it this summer as opposed to last year.        

No Cab Fare, No Rental Car, No Problem!

High gas prices are a factor for daily commuters, but it did not rank as a top concern when travelers listed the most important reasons they would use public transportation during their trip to a city this summer.

Why Travelers Will Use Public Transit



62%	It will be less expensive than taxicabs or rental cars.
61%	Won't have to worry about finding a parking space for my own vehicle.
52%	Won't have to spend money parking my own vehicle.
48%	It is easier to use public transportation.
42%	Will not have to drive around an unfamiliar city.
39%	Using public transportation is better for the environment.
38%	Using public transportation is less expensive than buying gas for my car.

Source: Synovate, June 2007

Getting Around by Public Transit Helps Trim the Travel Budget

The cost savings for travelers using public transportation are quite significant.  A traveler can purchase a visitor’s pass for a local public transportation system and ride all day for as little as three to ten dollars.  That is a fraction of what it would cost to rent a car and park it, or take numerous cab rides around the city, or buy gas and park your own vehicle.

The Green Truth about Public Transit

The environmental benefits are many.  Public transportation produces 95 percent less carbon monoxide (CO) and 90 percent less in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and nearly 50 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx), per passenger mile than private vehicles, according to APTA.

Public Transportation also helps dramatically helps reduce gasoline consumption.  Each year, public transportation use in the U.S. saves 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline.  This represents almost 4 million gallons of gasoline per day.  The use of public transportation saves the equivalent of 300,000 fewer automobile fill-ups every day and areas served by public transportation save $18 billion annually in congestion costs.

The typical public transit rider consumes on average one half of the oil consumed by an automobile rider.  As a result transit availability can reduce the yearly expense in a household budget by $6,251.

Access to All a City Has to Offer

Where are these travelers going on public transportation?  Just about everywhere!

Using Public Transit For Public Activities



61%	Sightseeing
46%	Restaurant / Dining / Nightlife
44%	Shopping
41%	Travel To And From Lodging
37%	Visit Historical Site
37%	Travel To And From Airport




Source:  Synovate, June 2007

Travelers who originate from large metropolitan areas are more likely to take advantage of a city’s local public transportation system. 

Slightly over half (53 percent) of those traveling to a city and use transit on their trip are from large urban areas, while 23 percent are from medium sized metro areas and 24 percent are from smaller cities and towns.