The  press release below was sent from TARC.  Join in and  ”dump the pump” this Thursday, June 21.  If you take TARC regularly, share your green steps by creating a profile on the Green Triangle website.  So far we have heard from 9th District residents who take public transit instead of driving for a total of 52 miles per week.  This saves 130 gallons of gas per year, which saves the release of 2548 pounds of Carbon Dioxide per year.  Share your steps to add to this total!

TARC Press Release, contact Jon Reiter, (502) 561-5115, jreiter@ridetarc.org

TARC is joining other public transportation systems nationwide to participate in the seventh annual National Dump the Pump Day on Thursday, June 21. The slogan of this year’s National Dump the Pump Day is “Dump the Pump. Save Money. Ride Transit.” 

Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 2012 National Dump the Pump Day is a day that encourages people to ride public transportation and save money, instead of driving a car.  

“Dump the Pump Day is the perfect opportunity to remind people that we offer an efficient and inexpensive way to travel around Louisville and southern Indiana,” said TARC Executive Director Barry Barker. “It’s a good day to give TARC a try.”

Started in June 2006 when gas prices were $3 per gallon, this national day emphasizes that public transportation is a great travel option that also helps people save money. 

According to AAA, the current price of fuel in the Louisville area is $3.609 per gallon, down from earlier this year but more than $.50 above prices this time last year. Since gas prices reached $4 or more this year, saving money is on everyone’s minds and public transportation is the quickest way to beat high gas prices. According to the latest APTA Transit Savings Report, individuals in a two-person household can save an average of more than $10,000 annually by downsizing to one car.    

Quick Facts 

• During 2011, Americans took 10.4 billion trips on public transportation. 
• 35 million times each weekday, people board public transportation. 
• Public transportation is a $55 billion industry that employs more than 400,000 people.  
• More than 7,300 organizations provide public transportation in the United States.   
• One person with a 20-mile round trip commute who switches from driving to public transit can reduce his or her daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, or more than 4,800 pounds in a year.  
• A single commuter switching his or her commute to public transportation can reduce a household’s carbon emissions by 10 percent and up to 30 percent if he or she eliminates a second car.
• Every $10 million in capital investment in public transportation yields $30 million in increased business sales.  
• Every $10 million in operating investment yields $32 million in increased business sales.