PATH TO SAVINGS CAN BE FOUND THROUGH THE MTA 

January 28, 2013

Baltimore public transit users can save close to $10 thousand annually

BALTIMORE, MD – The year 2013 is less than one month old and chances
are, many resolutions are already a thing of the past. But if saving money is on your to-do list this year, consider public transportation as away to help reach that goal. The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) encourages everyone to leave their cars at home and ride public transportation in an effort to save money.

Riding public transportation saves individuals in Baltimore, on average, $9,939 annually or $828 per month according to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) January Transit Savings Report. These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the cost of owning and driving a vehicle with an average national gas price ($3.29 per gallon- reported by AAA)
and the national unreserved monthly parking rate.

“Nearly 400,000 Maryland residents use MTA to commute to work each day,” said MTA Administrator Ralign T. Wells. “It just makes sense to save some of your hard-earned money by utilizing public transit.”

A two-person household can save an additional $10,000 a year, according to APTA, by downsizing to one car. APTA releases the monthly Transit Savings Report to examine how a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car. To calculate your individual savings, with or without car ownership, visit www.publictransportation.org.

For the latest information on MTA service passengers are urged to check the MTA website at www.mta.maryland.gov. Customers can also call the MTA Transit Information Center Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 410-539-5000. TTY 410-539-3497. To sign-up for email about service modifications and delays, go to www.mta.maryland.gov/enotifications. Visit MTA’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mtamaryland or Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/mtamaryland for more sources of updated information.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Terry Owens                   Joe Sviatko
Office: 410-767-3936    Office: 410-767-3935
Cell: 443-804-8522        Cell: 443-418-5732

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