Stage 7:Gas Prices Send Surge of Riders to Mass Transit

With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead. Mass transit systems around the country are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats were at one time easy to find. Parking lots at bus and light rail stations are starting to overflow. In most major cities, the riders are risking getting tickets or possibly getting towed for driving over curbs and into grassy areas just to park.
“In almost every transit system I talk to, we’re seeing very high rates of growth the last few months,” said William Millar, the president of the American Public Transportation Association. It’s obvious that people are starting to look for alternate ways of transportation. It can be more than a hassle paying $3.50 (on a good day) a gallon; especially with the average car having a 15 to 20 gallon tank.
Oil prices broke yet another record on Friday, climbing $2.27, to $125.96 a barrel. The national average for regular unleaded gasoline reached $3.67 a gallon, up from $3.04 a year ago, according to AAA. With this new information I learned reading this article today I have come to the conclusion that the city of Pflugerville needs a mass transit system. Almost every time I read an article about the oil prices in the United States it talks about a new record being set for prices a barrel. I set a new record at the gas pump each time I get gas and that’s according to my wallet, (a very good source). I would be the first to ride the bus to Austin or Round Rock anywhere at these rates.
I have started to wonder about more issues that can arises from the gas problems in the U.S. the first is with the growing number of riders that will mean a increase in prices for the bus. Witch still won’t be worse than gas but the riders who always ride the bus will start to protest and it will be another story in the Austin American Statesman newspaper; which will of course be put behind the Texas Longhorns football team. The second problem is that I believe with more cars in one place a greater increase in “break-ins” and car thefts will arises.
If it’s not one thing is another in the United States, land of the free and home of the obese. It seems that there will always be problems here. I just can help but think what would make people happy more. Gas prices dropping, or the end of the war in Iraq. To be honest I don’t think that Im truly ok with myself about my choice in which I would like more. Which would you like to happen?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/10/business/10transit.html?hp