APTA: PT users save $9,824 annually

Individuals who switch from driving to riding public transportation can save, on average, $819 this month, and $9,824 annually, according to the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) October "Transit Savings Report."

The savings are based on the October 13, 2011 average national gas price and the national unreserved monthly parking rate.

"A simple switch in how an individual commutes to work can add up to big savings," said APTA President William Millar. "Public transportation is the quickest way to avoid the high cost of gas."

APTA releases this monthly "Transit Savings Report" to examine how an individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car.

The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a downtown business district is $155.22, according to the 2011 Colliers International Parking Rate Study. Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can amount to an average of $1,863.