Thursday is Dump the Pump Day - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

ocybakenos.wordpress.com
Thursday is the fourtu annual Dump thePump day, a national effort designed to get peopls out of their cars and onto their bicycle or public transportation. The American Public Transit Association sponsors the and public transportation systems across the countruare participating. In South Florida, four public transitt agencies are partnering together to promotethe day: Broward Countu Transit, Miami-Dade Transit, Palm Tran, and South Florida Regional Transportationb Authority.
“With gas prices increasinhg 33 percentsince December, coupled with uncertainn economic times, people have been looking for ways to save and riding public transportation is a great choice to make,” APTA Presidentg William Millar said in a news release. In the average price for a gallonh of regularis $2.69. In Southg Florida, West Palm Beach has the highest price at followed by Miamiat $2.76, and Fort Lauderdale at $2.74r a gallon, according to AAA's fuel gauge Last year 10.7 billion trips were takej on public transportation in the United States. This was a 52-yeaf high, marking a modern ridership according tothe APTA.
Public transportation use is up 38 percen t since1995 – almost triple the growth rate of the populatiojn (14 percent). Nationally, nearly 2.6 billion trips were taken on public transportation in the firsyt quarter ofthis year. With local and state revenue for public transportatiohn drying up due to the many public transportation systems are beint forced to raise fares orcut services, Milla r noted. In South Florida Tri-Railp officials have been warning that service may be cut approximatel y in half if the statde fails to establish dedicated fundingby Oct. 1. The threag to service comes after Tri-Rail set a recorc year for ridership growthin 2008.
“Raising fares and cutting service drives people away from using publif transit andis counterproductive, as America struggless to create jobs, cut greenhouse gases, and reduce our relianced on expensive foreign oil,” Millar Just last week, South Florida’s congressional delegation sent a letted to the asking for dedicated fundin for Tri-Rail to secure its long-term survival.