A new national survey conducted by ORC International for the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has revealed that more than 7 in 10 Americans support increased federal funding for the nation’s public transportation systems, including those that serve small cities, towns, and large urban areas, the organization reported on Nov. 25, 2015.
Support for increased public transportation funding was also seen across age groups and political affiliations, with some of the highest numbers among Millennials ages 18 – 34 (77%) and individuals age 65 and older (76%).
“No matter where you live and work —and what age you are, public transit provides vital access to jobs and everything a community has to offer,” said APTA President and CEO Michael P. Melaniphy. “As Congress finalizes its work on the surface transportation bill, we must ensure we provide for both large and smaller communities through growth of the federal transit program.”
Owning or having access to a private vehicle does not diminish public transit support across the nation, with 71% of car owners reporting that they want to see more federal investment in public transportation in both large and small communities. In addition, a majority (56%) of respondents said public transit is important in attracting and retaining employers in their community
When asked about the types of public transit survey respondents are familiar with in their community, they noted scheduled bus (57%), van/buses for persons with disabilities (51%), passenger train (40%), inter-state bus (37%), commuter vanpools (27%), trolleys (20%) and ferries (19%).
The national online study, which was conducted in the summer of 2015 among a sample of 1,1019 individuals age 18 or older, shows support for increased funding for public transit is consistent across communities of all sizes. The results have a 95% confidence level, APTA says.