Via Ryan Avent, we find that mass transit usage hit a 50-year high last year, up by more than 2 percent over the previous year. Prompted, of course, by soaring gas prices, Americans took 10 billion trips on public transport, while the number of vehicle miles flat lined. Even small cities saw enormous growth, with those with populations under 100,000 residents marking a 6.4 percent increase in ridership. Avent raises the essential question: Why is the federal government still spending $40 on roads for every $1 spent on public transit? With gas prices expected to hit $4 in the near future, the number of public transit users will only continue to rise. Seems like we could be spending public money a whole lot more wisely.
--Kate Sheppard
