Record gas prices have helped the nation's transit systems attract record numbers of riders. Notably, the biggest increases have occurred in the South and West, where public transportation has traditionally been underutilized.
"With the price of gasoline approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are leaving their cars at home and taking trains or buses.
Mass-transit systems nationwide are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats once were easy to come by. Parking lots at many bus and light-rail stations suddenly are overflowing with commuters in some towns.
"In almost every transit system I talk to, we're seeing very high rates of growth the last few months," said William Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association. "It's very clear that a significant portion of the increase in transit use is directly caused by people who are looking for alternatives to paying $3.50 a gallon for gas."
Some cities with long-established public-transit systems, such as New York and Boston, have seen increases in ridership of 5 percent or more this year. But the biggest surges - of 10 to 15 percent or more in the past year - are occurring in many metropolitan areas in the South and West, where the driving culture is strongest and bus and rail lines are more limited."
FULL STORY: As gas prices soar, more commuters hop buses, trains
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