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Did You Know?

The Chicago region’s current hub-and-spoke transit system leaves nearly half a million Cook County residents stranded in transit deserts.

RTA Releases Green Transit Plan

And we didn’t think transit could get any greener!

RTA has released its new Green Transit Plan and Riders for Better Transit is excited about it!

Our favorite part?

“Each year, the region’s transit system saves 6.7 million metric tons of carbon from being emitted into the atmosphere. That’s equivalent to 750 million gallons of gas or taking one million automobiles off the roads.”

The plan also offers some other great statistics about why transit is so essential to our region:

  • In 2011 over 648 million rides were taken on transit in the Chicago region. That’s more than twice the population of the United States.
  • Households in the Chicago region can save up to $11,500 each year by riding transit.
  • Transit produces less than 1 percent of regional greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Between 2005 and 2008 carbon emissions per transit ride decreased 5 percent.

It quantifies the environmental benefits of the region’s public transit system and will serve as the roadmap for how transit can help the Chicago region become more sustainable. It also provides a vision for a more environmentally-friendly transit system that can maximize the environmental benefits of transit in the future.

And a big part of that plan is growing ridership! The more people that ride, the fewer cars we have on the road and the greener our transportation choices as a city!

Download a copy of the Chicago Regional Green Transit Plan and learn more about the environmental benefits of transit by visiting www.RTAchicago.com.