Economic Impact of Rural Transit Services

Abstract

Great economic benefits are attributed to transit systems serving large urban areas, such as providing mobility, reducing costs associated with automobile use (congestion and air pollution), encouraging greater economic growth in areas served, and increasing the nation’s overall economic productivity. Like the larger urban public transit systems, rural public transit systems have real benefits for the communities they serve. Unlike those of their larger counterparts, the contributions that rural transit systems have made to the economic health and well-being of the communities they serve have gone largely unrecognized. A new report measures for the first time the economic benefits of rural transit operations. The report develops benefit estimates from 22 case studies of rural transit systems and from national transportation and economic data. Large economic benefits were found, demonstrating that public transportation is a good investment for rural communities.