A Coast RTA bus stops in front of Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach.
CONWAY -- A gallon of regular gasoline in America costs an average of $3.54, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration . And, Coast RTA General Manager Myers Rollins Jr. says the Grand Strand transit system has seen a 25 percent increase in business.
"Our fiscal year ends on June 30th," says Rollins, "and we are close to surpassing last year's numbers with three and a half months left."
A study by the American Public Transportation Association predicts that if gas keeps rising, so will the amount of people riding public transportation. The study shows if gas reaches $4, an additional 670 million passengers could ride. $5 gas would add 1.5 billion. And $6 gas would increase the number of people using public transportatin by 2.7 billion passengers per year.
Rollins says the company saw a spike in passengers when gas prices were around $4 in 2008. But more riders don't necessarily mean more money for transit.
"It's a catch 22. While the demand might increase, our budget remains the same." Rollins points out that last year the company had to eliminate the route to The Market Common, one of the fasting growing routes, because of budget cuts.
"With the budget being cut as much as it has, we're just trying to offer people an affordable service that they feel safe."
When is the last time you used mass transit? Would you consider mass transit if gas prices get any higher?
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