Take the inability to stop for a burger on the way home cited in the article. I live in London; commuting on public transport (the London Underground) I could go to half a dozen places to get a burger on the way home, including at least two branches of MacDonalds. MacDonalds didn’t build these outlets conveniently for public transport users because they were told to; they built them deliberately at those locations because in a city reliant on public transport like London that’s where the market is.

There’s no reason why that couldn’t occur in other cities, but it does need to be kick-started – London did it largely by accident of history, not through any great anti-car movement.

Take the inability to stop for a burger on the way home cited in the article. I live in London; commuting on public transport (the London Underground) I could go to half a dozen places to get a burger on the way home, including at least two branches of MacDonalds. MacDonalds didn’t build these outlets conveniently for public transport users because they were told to; they built them deliberately at those locations because in a city reliant on public transport like London that’s where the market is.

There’s no reason why that couldn’t occur in other cities, but it does need to be kick-started – London did it largely by accident of history, not through any great anti-car movement.

and here is the summary of their methodology (& looks like you can calculate your own individual savings on their site!):

“APTA calculates the average cost of taking public transit by determining the average monthly transit pass of local public transit agencies across the country. This information is based on the annual APTA fare collection survey and is weighted based on ridership (unlinked passenger trips). The assumption is that a person making a switch to public transportation would likely purchase an unlimited pass on the local transit agency, typically available on a monthly basis.

“APTA then compares the average monthly transit fare to the average cost of driving. The cost of driving is calculated using the 2009 AAA average cost of driving formula. AAA cost of driving formula is based on variable costs and fixed costs. The variable costs include the cost of gas, maintenance and tires. The fixed costs include insurance, license registration, depreciation and finance charges. The comparison also uses the average mileage of a mid-size auto at 23.4 miles per gallon and the price for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline as recorded by AAA on January 11 at $2.75 per gallon. The analysis also assumes that a person will drive an average of 15,000 miles per year. The savings assume a person in a two-person household lives with one less car.

“In determining the cost of parking, APTA uses the data from the 2009 Colliers International Parking Rate Study for monthly unreserved parking rates for the United States.

“To calculate your individual savings with or without car ownership, go to http://www.publictransportation.org“

Imagine how much it would cost us in terms of roadways, interchanges, bridges, etc. if these people didn’t take public transportation.

Imagine how much it would cost us in terms of roadways, interchanges, bridges, etc. if these people didn’t take public transportation.