9 Out Of 10 Say Congestion Has Not Improved Or Gotten Worse, According To A Poll By AAA And The American Public Transportation Association

AAA Contact: Mantill Williams (202) 942-2050
APTA Contact: Amy Coggin (202) 496-4816

April 2, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC, April 1 – When asked about traffic congestion, 95 percent of Americans said that over the past three years, the traffic they encounter during their daily travels has gotten worse of there has been no improvement, according to a survey released today by AAA and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Ninety-two percent believe it is either very important (71%) or somewhat important (21%) for their community to have both good roads and viable alternatives to driving.

The two associations sponsored the national poll to obtain current information on transportation choices and views on congestion. The information is timely for Congress as it reauthorizes the surface transportation funding bill for the next six years.

"Traffic congestion has become an irritant," said Susan Pikrallidas, AAA Vice President of Public Affairs. "It stifles growth, diminishes safety, aggravates pollution and robs people of a precious commodity – their time."

"The poll reinforces AAA’s belief that public policy need not choose exclusively between building roads and developing other modes of transportation and other alternatives to the car", Pikrallidas said.

Ninety-one percent of respondents use a motor vehicle such as auto, light truck or motorcycle most often for their daily travel need. People cited convenience and demands of work and family as the most important reason for this choice.

Of the respondents, twenty-six percent used public transportation in the last year. Of those, the bus was the mode most often taken (50%), followed by commuter rail (19%), subway (14%) and a combination of modes (17%).

"It is clear that Americans want and need more transportation options, which include both roads and public transportation," said APTA President William W. Millar. "Congress has a golden opportunity this year to respond to citizens’ concerns and provide greater investment in the nation’s surface transportation system to improve mobility choices."

Opinion Research Corp. conducted the national survey from March 21-24 for AAA and APTA. The survey sampled the opinions of 1,032 randomly-selected U.S. adults. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.1percent.

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As the nation’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its nearly 46 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for safety and security of all travelers. This year AAA’s Traffic Safety Department celebrates its 75th anniversary.

APTA is a nonprofit international association of over 1,500 public and private member organizations including transit systems and commuter rail operators; planning, design, construction and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions, transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. Over ninety percent of persons using public transportation in the United States and Canada are served by APTA members.