Out Of Cars - And Into Mass Transit
In bustling Atlanta, transit authorities boosted their MARTA bus routes by 40 percent this year. But it wasn't enough. Ridership is up 60 percent.
A lot more people are using MARTA to avoid paying gas.
"I mean I have access to a car, but I'm still choosing to pick MARTA versus driving a car," one resident said.
According to a new national report, record numbers of Americans are getting out of their cars … and into mass transit, CBS News transportation and consumer safety correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.
Light rail or streetcar ridership is up about 16 percent this year in Minneapolis and in St. Louis - almost 17 percent in Baltimore.
Commuter rail, from the suburbs into cities, has seen an even bigger jump. Nearly 28 percent more riders in Seattle. In California, where gas prices are among the highest in the country, Oakland's commuter rail is up nearly 16 percent; Stockton's nearly 14 percent.
On the Virginia Railway Express, lots more people are filling cars.
But as ridership surges, some systems are putting on the brakes, slashing routes and putting off expansions to save on rising fuel costs.
A recent survey found 21 percent of rail operators are cutting service. Nearly 70 percent have raised fares.
Virginia Miller is with the American Public Transportation Association, which conducted the survey.
"Just like gas prices affect a family's household budget, so do fuel costs affect a public transportation system's budget," Miller said.
And that means that after years of being encouraged to take mass transit, many new riders are finding … all the seats taken.
