**Oil Dependence Advantage** Oil Dependence – Links

Mass transit is necessary to keep up with rising oil demands

There are a number of reasons that public transportation will require growing levels of support in the future. ²⁵ One reason transit needs will grow is the many ongoing trends compounding traffic congestion problems. Arizona’s population is expected to reach over 10 million people in 25 years. As Arizona’s population increases, the number of cars on the road will increase and people will drive more miles in their vehicles. Growing areas that face increasing traffic and parking problems will find transit attractive if financing and rights of way can be obtained. Rising gas prices also make transit more attractive because of greater fuel efficiency compared to cars and trucks. Although economic conditions can cause a temporary drop in the price of oil, the long term trend of price increases is expected to continue. Indeed, it appears that the era of “cheap oil” may well be over. Oil prices have increased during the last decade because of increased global demand from countries such as China, Brazil and India. Transportation is the biggest consumer of oil in the U.S., accounting for about twothirds of our petroleum demand and almost 80 percent of growth in recent decades. The world is meanwhile having an increasingly difficult time producing enough oil to satisfy rising demand. Regardless of whether world-wide production of oil “peaks” in the near future, the cost of producing and refining oil will increase as proven reserves are depleted and extraction companies unconventional supplies such as lower-quality crude and tar sands.

Across the country, people are encouraged to ride public transportation to reduce dependence on foreign oil

Cervantes 12, Online Media Journalist (Bianca, “Dump the Pump Encourages Mass Transit Commutes, June 14, http://www.ktsm.com/news/dump-pump-encourages-mass-transit-commutes) //AC

Sun Metro also will give away 70 day passes to commuters who Park and Ride at the Mission Valley, East Side, Northeast or West Side Transfer Centers. Downtown and Cincinnati commuters also can expand their lunch options by taking advantage of free rides on Route 204 during the lunch hour, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the 2012 National Dump the Pump Day is a day that encourages people to get out of their personal vehicles and ride public transportation to save money, protect the planet, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and improve our quality of life.

Ridership on public transit has been increasing, and oil dependence has been decreasing, proving that there is a direct correlation between the two

Addison 12 Clean Fleet Report Editor (John, “Record Public Transit Ridership Reduces U.S. Oil Dependency, March 14^th, http://www.cleantechblog.com/2012/03/record-public-transit-ridership-reduces-u-s-oil-dependency.html)//AC

The United States is reducing its dependency on oil as we now consuming 18.3 million barrels a day, down from our peak of 21 million barrels a few years ago. Record use of public transit is a major factor – less solo driving in gridlock and we use less oil. Other major factors, of course, include high gasoline prices and more fuel-efficient cars. Since 96 percent of our transportation is from oil refined into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, we will take all the help we can get. According to a report released today by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Americans took 10.4 billion trips on public transportation in 2011, the second highest annual ridership since 1957. Only ridership in 2008, when gas rose to more than $4 a gallon, surpassed last year’s ridership. With an increase of 2.3 percent over the 2010 ridership, this was the sixth year in a row that more than 10 billion trips were taken on public transportation systems nationwide. During 2011, vehicle miles of travel (VMTs) declined by 1.2 percent. A number of U.S. regions demonstrated leadership in improving bus and rail systems, often doing more with less. The best systems use rail as the backbone of the system integrated with more cost-effective bus. Light rail systems that showed major increases in 2011 include these regions: Seattle, WA up 37.2%, Dallas, TX up 31.2%; Buffalo, NY up 15.6; North San Diego County up 14.8%; Salt Lake City, UT up 14.4%. These rail systems use local electricity, not foreign oil.

Public Transportation Reduces U.S. Foreign Oil Dependence

Bailey ,07- Federal Programs Advisor at the New York City Department of Transportation.(transportation policy analyst http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/apta_public_transportation_fuel_savings_final_010807.pdf)

Public Transportation Reduces U.S. Foreign Oil Dependence

Using conservative assumptions, the study found that current public transportation usage reduces U.S. gasoline consumption by 1.4 billion gallons each year. In concrete terms, that means:

• 
  ƒ 108 million fewer cars filling up – almost 300,000 every day.
  
• 
  ƒ 34 fewer supertankers leaving the Middle East – one every 11 days.
  
• 
  ƒ Over 140,000 fewer tanker truck deliveries to service stations per year.
  
• 
  ƒ A savings of 3.9 million gallons of gasoline per day.
  

These savings result from the efficiency of carrying multiple passengers in each vehicle, the reduction in traffic congestion from fewer automobiles on the roads, and the varied sources of energy for public transportation. Public transportation also saves energy by enabling land use patterns that create shorter travel distances, both for transit riders and drivers. We hope to estimate these savings in future research, but were not able to include them in this report.

Public Transportation, weans the United States off foreign oil

Bailey, 07- Federal Programs Advisor at the New York City Department of Transportation.(transportation policy analyst http://www.apta.com/resources/reportsandpublications/Documents/apta_public_transportation_fuel_savings_final_010807.pdf)

The dramatic increase in ridership over the past decade demonstrates Americans’ clear desire for more public transportation options. So what would happen if public transportation services were expanded so that ridership doubled? Total national fuel savings from public transportation would double to 2.8 billion gallons per year, or more if improved coordination between land use plans and public transportation could replace even more car travel.

Mass transit reduces the gas use and foreign oil dependence.

Sandalow, 8 – Energy & Environment Scholar, National Security Council, White House Council (David B., Freedom from Oil: How the Next President Can End the United States’ Oil Addiction p. 152-153) //AC

Sprawl increases both VMT and gasoline consumption. One study analyzed the impact of moving sample households “from a city with measures of urban form and transit supply identical to those of Atlanta to a city with measures the same as those of Boston.” The result: VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled) fell by 25%. Another study found that more than 60% of the growth in VMT during the 1980s and 1990s was due to land use factors. Yet another found that, during the same period, gasoline consumption was 50% greater per person in Phoenix and Houston than Chicago or Washington, D.C. One study found 2.3 billion gallons of gasoline wasted due to traffic congestion in 2005. Unhappiness with sprawl is widespread. Bipartisan coalitions have been formed to promote “smart growth” as an alternative. Many cities, including Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon, and Wichita, Kansas have launched major smart growth initiatives. One popular approach is “transit-oriented development” – building mixed-use communities around transit stations. High-density development within short distances of transit stations can provide many drivers with an alternative to congested traffic and lengthy commutes. Greater investment in transit systems is also a priority. Most major metropolitan areas have new rail or rapid bus systems under development. Land use is historically a state and local function, not a federal one. Much of the advocacy related to smart growth is community-based, focusing on regions and cities. One leading book says “think globally, act locally, but plan regionally” Yet federal policies play a central role. One survey asked urban scholars to identify the most important influences on the American metropolis in the second half of the 20^th century. Their answer: “The overwhelming impact of the federal government…especially through policies that intentionally or unintentionally promoted suburbanization and sprawl” The two most important influences, according to these scholars, were the 1956 Interstate Highway Act and Federal Housing Administration mortgages. Quantifying the impact of smart growth policies on oil dependence presents challenges. Policies often take many years to implement, during which time other variables (such as oil prices and characteristics of the vehicle fleet) change substantially. One recent study, based on extensive statistical analyses, concludes that “…programs that alter urban form and transit supply are potentially valuable tools available to policymakers interested in reducing the social cost of driving”. Another recent study found that doubling ridership on mass transit nationally could save 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline per year. This is roughly 1% of U.S. gasoline consumption. Smart growth policies alone cannot end oil dependence. But they can have an impact on growth in VMT, helping reduce oil consumption while at the same time improving quality of life for millions of Americans.

Mass transit reduces oil dependency and enhances energy security

Deutch and Schlesinger, 06, National Security Task Force Chairs (John, James, “National Security consequences of U.S. oil dependency”) //AC

Many experts note that a shift from cars to mass transit could have a major effect in reducing oil consumption, in addition to other benefits. Where such actions substitute electricity for oil, such as in subways and other electrified trains, these policies may enhance energy security as well. However, expanding electricity-generating capacity and electricity transmission in the United States is not without its challenges.

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