The Bus We Just Can’t Miss
Posted August 18, 2010 at 1:58 pm 
Filed in: Seeing as Congress has now shut its doors for the summer without having produced the hoped-for energy bill, some have asked what can be done at the state and local levels to cut back on oil use. One effective answer is often overlooked.
Transit. It’s that simple. Hop on a bus or a train, pay a minimal fee, and help reduce our country’s dependence on oil. Unsurprisingly, transit is a simple way to cut back on oil use, as: 1) it can enable mobility while using less energy per person; 2) it is relatively easy for transit’s fossil fuel sources to be converted to alternative forms of energy, and 3) most importantly for oil consumption, it can reduce congestion by getting drivers out of their cars.
According to a 2007 report by ICF International, an energy consulting firm, mass transit reduces national oil consumption by an estimated 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline each year, mainly because increased transit use reduces the number of cars on the road. Based on Department of Energy estimates of average gasoline prices, that shifting between modes saves Americans approximately $4 billion annually at today’s prices, half of which was going to foreign countries. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the New York City area transit system, claims to have singlehandedly taken an estimated 180,000 cars off their roads in the last year as many travelers switched from driving to riding.
In terms of mobility, there is the added benefit of providing options to the young, the elderly, and the poor who might not have regular access to cars. Of course the construction and operation of transit systems can also be an important source of job creation. Although in some areas (and at certain times of the day) services are plagued by low load factors, planners continue to refine their methods to ensure that their transit fleets meet the needs of travelers in the most efficient way possible. A consideration of energy use should of course be central to this effort.
Transit also has the advantage of generally being a city or state-run program, so instituting mandatory changes is an easier task. No American can be forced to drive an oil-free car, but the state can do whatever it sees fit to its bus fleet. People will ride the bus irrespective of whether it runs on oil, natural gas, hydrogen, electricity or biofuels. Furthermore, transit has the added bonus of consisting of fewer vehicles. It is less costly to convert one 50-person bus to clean energy than it would take to convert 50 individual cars, making such a conversion easier for the city or state. This has enabled many cities to begin the transition of their fleets to alternative forms of energy.
Numerous cities and states have also begun work or will soon begin working to make their transit systems more energy efficient. Over 800 New York City buses run on hybrid fuel cells, and the MTA is hoping to raise that number over the next few years. Similar buses are being used throughout Connecticut, and they are setting up a recharging station so buses can easily be returned to full power on site. New Jersey has plans for solar recharging parking lots for their metrorail riders’ cars. San Antonio’s transit system, VIA, is in the midst of switching all of its buses from diesel to electric fuel cells. Washington D.C.’s transit system, WMATA, plans to run only hybrid buses by 2014. Many of these projects have been made possible by grants from the federal government through the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Cities including San Diego, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, and Portland all received grants and have been or will be in the near future making changes in their transit systems.
The streets of the United States have become increasingly congested over the past 25 years. It is estimated that the average American commuter today spends 50 hours more driving per year, due to congestion, than he or she did in 1986. Not only does using transit shorten one’s travel time in the long run, but it also allows for additional work or leisure time that once had to be spent driving. Furthermore, congestion leads to wasted gasoline from having to sit in traffic with the motor running. An interesting recently announced idea is China’s plan for the “straddling bus” which runs on electricity partly sourced from solar energy and drives on the road on top of the other cars. With seating for 1,200 people in each bus, they are hoping that their new buses can be the solution to their ever-increasing congestion problem throughout their cities.
Nevertheless, the use of transit is insufficient to be the ultimate solution to our oil problems. As cheap, convenient, and energy efficient as using public transportation may be, people like cars—a vehicle that was born in the United States and is still one of our greatest prides. The entire country is set up for easy use of cars. Cars are personal and convenient; they can take riders from wherever they are to wherever they want to go. At present however, their attraction is being undermined by severe congestion in many places. This is something that must be addressed. Moving more people onto energy-efficient transit services that helps reduce U.S. oil consumption is just one of many important tactics in our overall strategy, but definitely a step in the right direction.
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