Public Transportation Benefits

1. Offers mobility for residents of small urban and rural communities by improving access to employment, education/training, health services, shopping, community activities, friends/relatives.

2. Provides seniors with independence. One fourth of today's 75+ age group does not drive. Public transportation is a lifeline for older adults providing access to medical, shopping, social, family and religious activities.

3. Offers seniors the peace of mind of a safe ride. More than four in five seniors believe public transportation is a better alternative to driving alone.

4. Connects people to essential services. Reliable transportation is an important link to medical and health and human services, especially for seniors and those with disabilities.

5. You don't have to ride public transportation to benefit from it. Every $1 invested in public transportation provides $6 in economic returns.

6. Creates Jobs. Every $1 billion invested in public transportation infrastructure supports approximately 47,500 jobs.

7.It's a safe choice. The National Safety Council estimates that riding the bus is over 170 times safer than automobile travel.

8. Conserves energy and helps the environment. For every passenger mile traveled, public transportation is twice as fuel efficient as private automobiles.

9. Reduces reliance on foreign oil. If one in ten Americans used public transportation regularly, U.S. relianceon foreign oil could be cut by more than 40%.

10. Builds more livable communities and increases quality of life. By sustaining mobility and independence for the growing population of older Americans.