The Obama administration recently distributed $8 billion nationwide for high speed rail.

We've got to keep up the momentum for more and better public transportation and high speed rail across the United States.

Add your name in support of our 21st century transportation principles: http://studentpirgs.org/action/21st-century-transit

Having high-speed rail connecting all the major cities throughout the country would help our economy by providing thousands of sustainable jobs, reduce carbon emissions that cause global warming, clear up highway congestion, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and improve our quality of life.

It's going to take a long-term commitment from our local and national leaders to plan and fund a national rail system. As we rebuild our transportation system, let's make sure we do it right.

Overview:

It’s time we had 21st century transportation in America.

From high speed rail to mass transit, it’s time for us to get on the right track.  Americans all want a safe, clean transportation system that lets us all get where we need to go – but our current system just isn’t working.  Our reliance on cars and planes to get from point A to point B means our transportation system consumes more oil than the whole economy of every other country in the world except for China, and we import most of that from foreign countries.   Our tailpipe emissions account for a third of the nation’s global warming emissions, pollute the air we breathe and make people sick.

That’s why we’re working for a 21st century transportation system.  Public transit reduces oil consumption, traffic congestion, and global warming pollution. A full bus, for instance, replaces fifty cars on the road.  Each year America’s rail and bus systems reduce our nation’s oil consumption by 3.4 billion gallons, and prevent 26 million tons of global warming emissions.   And, with global warming pollution worsening and  daily commutes costing families thousands each year in both time and money,  there’s now strong public support for change.

Our Opportunity

Every six years, the federal government decides how it’s going to spend transportation money.  This year is our chance to make sure that we shift to a 21st century transportation system.  President Obama has helped lead the charge by making high speed rail a focus of the economic recovery bills.  Now, we’re working to make sure that Congress keeps prioritizing high speed rail, shifts spending from more and more roads to clean, efficient public transportation and spends all of our money more wisely. 

If we succeed in doubling federal investment in public transportation and expanding high-speed rail, we'll reduce our dependence on oil, preventing pollution that causes global warming.  But getting there means overcoming the influence of Big Oil and the road building lobby, which want to keep building more and more highways.

We’ll be working to raise the profile of high speed rail and public transportation by building grassroots support, garnering media attention, and getting community leaders like mayors and business owners to join the call for 21st century transportation.