Without transit, traffic delays in the Atlanta region would increase by 10,520,000 hours annually, and the yearly costs associated with it would increase by $232 million.
So it's no surprise that savings in both time and money are the pillars of "Dump the Pump," a national campaign by American Public Transportation Association in its 10th year that is designed to promote transit as a commute alternative.
You may have already heard promotions on the radio for MARTA and Georgia Commute Options leading up to the event. It is designed to encourage people to use a train, bus or vanpool instead of driving alone.
Consider this compelling statistic as one reason to choose a commute alternative: The average one-way commute time in metro Atlanta is 34 minutes and 18.3 miles, costing the average metro Atlanta commuter $340 a month (including fuel, maintenance and parking costs). By comparison, it costs $95 a month to ride MARTA.
“Make the switch, just for a day, to see how you like it," MARTA spokesperson Lyle V. Harris said in a press release. "Commuters will often find that transit is faster and easier than they once thought — and that it’s a great option for getting to work at least once or twice a week, if not every day.”
For this year's Dump the Pump celebration, MARTA is bringing back its popular scavenger hunt June 20 at Five Points station. In addition to MARTA's efforts, Georgia Commute Options will offer a week-long commute logging challenge, entering anyone who logs a public transit commute on the GaCommuteOptions.com website between June 15 and 19 into a $25 prize raffle.
Credit: Andria Brooks
Credit: Andria Brooks
