MARQUETTE, Mich. – Increasing the state’s investment in public transit would create jobs vital to Michigan’s economic turnaround, give commuters more options and make the air cleaner, members of the state’s largest public transit group said today.
At a media roundtable in Marquette, representatives from the Michigan Public Transit Association (MPTA) today said Michigan lawmakers must respond to the state’s economic interests by providing an infusion of new funds to the 79 agencies statewide, including in the U.P., that receive state funding for transit.
“Demand for public transit has never been greater – ridership has grown 22 percent over the past six years – so it’s mind-boggling that the state is actually disinvesting in its transit system,” said Clark Harder, executive director of MPTA. “Mass transit now gets just over 8 percent of state transportation money, down from the 10 percent a little over a decade ago.”
MPTA and others say it’s time for bold leadership to increase the state’s 19-cents-a-gallon gasoline tax, which hasn’t been raised for 13 years. Meanwhile, the cost of public transit and road and bridge repair and construction has risen dramatically. They point to the lame-duck legislative session following the Nov. 2 election as the perfect time to take action.
Job creation is one reason for increasing investment in public transit. Studies show that each dollar spent on bus service results in an economic benefit of nearly $1.50 and that every 10 jobs created in public transit generate an additional six jobs elsewhere in the economy. But there are other reasons.
“A single bus can take 30 cars off the road, which is good news to those concerned about clean air,” said Rochelle Cotey, executive director of ALTRAN in Munising. “Public transit systems could play an even greater role in reducing pollution-related illnesses ranging from asthma to lung cancer if they were to receive adequate funding from Lansing.”
The state economy also wins with increased investment in public transit. Transit operations employed about 9,200 workers and contributed $1 billion to the state economy in 2008, according to a study recently released by MPTA and the Michigan Department of Transportation. Additionally, the money passengers save by taking the bus adds up to $264.4 million annually, which they can spend in other parts of the economy.
The study used a new assessment tool that better gauges the impact of public transit on the economy by measuring local and well as state impact.
“For the first time, local Michigan transit agencies can speak definitively about the economic impact and value of bus operations on their local community,” said Delynn Klein, executive director of Marq-Tran. “The strongest case for increasing our investment in public transit is made by simply providing the facts, and now we have them.”
The Michigan Public Transit Association is a nonprofit statewide association. Members range from the largest urban public transit system providers in Michigan to a majority of the smaller rural demand‐response systems. For more information please visit www.mptaonline.org.
Contact: Clark Harder, Executive Director, MPTA (517) 324-0858 – office, (989) 277-0447 – cell, mptaclark@comcast.net
