Transit Not Traffic In The News

It's been 19 weeks since President Bush signed the economic stimulus plan into law but a new study shows many Maryland families have spent all of their check filling up the gas tank.

Weijia Jiang has a look at what one group recommends to stimulate an economy other than fuel.

When it comes to gas, if you're like Mark Cullings, you're dipping into cash from an economic stimulus check to pay for it.

"Just taking it right back.  They just take it right back.  You can't go out and buy the things you want," he said.

A new study out from the Maryland Public Interest Research Group reports since President Bush signed the tax rebates into law on Feb. 13, the average household has shelled out more than $1,500 filling their tanks.  The numbers show the average cost per household has gone from $60 a week to almost $100.

MaryPIRG says there is one obvious solution to dealing with the ruthless gas prices: just hop on to some public transportation.

Some locals like Grace Bedwell caught on years ago.

"I've never had a car in Baltimore," she said.  "I find it very convenient."

And as more former drivers use the light rail or climb onto an MTA bus, the question becomes is there enough space?

"Transit ridership has boomed in Maryland.  Now we need to make sure that policies match up with those behavioral changes and we give people better access to public transportation," said Johanna Neumann with MaryPIRG.

The MTA says bring on the passengers.

"We are certainly prepared for the influx.  We're making preparations to expand the service as well as add more buses and more trains.  We've added bike racks, increased frequency, tweaked the schedules to meet the growing need in our community," said Jawauna Greene with the MTA.

As soon as Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives will consider a bill that would hand out $2 billion for public transit agencies nationwide to cut prices and expand services. 

The Baltimore metro area would see $15.5 million of those dollars over two years.

MaryPIRG estimates public transportation saved $3.4 billion gallons of gas in 2006.