LANSING – A slow economy and a massive increase in gasoline prices helped drive an increase in mass transit ridership in 2008, a report from Environment Michigan said.
Meanwhile, the Michigan Public Transit Association urged lawmakers not to cut funding for mass transit to help offset revenue losses.
According to the report, “Getting On Track,” the number of riders on mass transit, which was mostly on buses, increased by 6 percent over 2007 levels.
The report said that, in total, motorists in the state drove 4.4 billion fewer miles in 2008, when gasoline peaked at more than $4 a gallon, which meant the state consumed 35.6 million fewer gallons of fuel.
While the organization said that reduced amount of fuel helped reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, transportation interests have also pointed out the reduced amount of gas used resulted in lower revenues for the state’s transportation fund.
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