Date: Oct. 10, 2013
Contact: Suzanne Pletcher (303) 447-0078 ext. 5; (707) 489-1325 cell
Transfort Bus System Benefits Taxpayers by $5.1 Million Annually
Benefits from Fort Collins’ transit include 2.5 million car miles saved, reduced commute times, better public health
Michael Devereaux rides the Transfort system every day to get to medical appointments, run errands and meet friends. He has used a wheelchair since 2003 and says the Transfort service is essential to his daily life, taking him just about anywhere he needs to go in town.
“Transfort certainly saves me a lot of money, as opposed to paying for Dial-A-Ride or another service,” said Devereaux. “And I feel good that I am not causing as much pollution.”
These and other local benefits of bus transit service in Fort Collins are quantified in a new study released today, Economic Benefits of Transit Systems: Colorado Case Studies. The study provides a snapshot of financial payback on local transit investment for decision makers and their communities in three different Colorado regions, including the Roaring Fork Valley and Grand Mesa on the West Slope.
“People often view public transit as an investment that only pays off in larger cities,” said Mike Salisbury, report author and transportation program analyst at the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project. “Now that we have quantified the benefits, those old assumptions can be laid to rest. Fort Collins residents see big savings among other benefits.”
The Transfort transit system in Fort Collins covers 54 square miles with 20 bus routes. Over 7,000 people use the system every day for work, medical appointments, errands and school.
“Transfort has set forth a vision to be the first choice for transportation in our greater community,” says Transfort General Manager Kurt Ravenschlag. “This goal means serving every sector of our community, and one great way to attract people to transit is to show them the environmental and economic benefits that the system provides. The SWEEP report provides information that demonstrates that value.”
By the numbers: A look at transit benefits for Fort Collins residents
ü Reduced number of miles due to transit system: 2.5 million (more than 10 trips to the moon!)
ü Gasoline saved: 123,800 gallons (cost: $427,000)
ü Maintenance repair savings: $139,000
ü Total commuter time saved due to decreased traffic congestion: 39,000 hours
ü $2.3 million in benefits from employee accessibility to jobs
ü Total community benefit including reduced congestion, reduced parking and infrastructure costs and other residual costs: more than $5 million
Other key benefits of transit service
ü Seniors are better able to live independently at home rather than moving to assisted living facilities or nursing homes;
ü Residents are healthier because of walking or biking to bus stops;
ü Improved public safety due to accident reduction and safety improvements;
ü Real estate value increases in areas with good public transit; and
ü Fewer air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions help keep residents healthier.
The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project is a public interest organization that promotes energy efficiency in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The organization’s transportation program identifies and promotes the implementation of policies that achieve significant energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
Contacts:
Mike Salisbury, SWEEP transportation analyst: (720) 628-5596.
Kurt Ravenschlag, Transfort general manager: (970) 221-6386.
Michael Devereaux, Transfort rider: (970) 310-1651