Secretary LaHood announces $2.5-billion grants for high-speed rail

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced the distribution of $2.5 billion for high-speed rail projects nationwide, and the American Public Transportation Association released the results of a large travel survey which shows that nearly two-thirds of adults (62 percent) said they would definitely or probably use high-speed rail service for leisure or business travel if it were an option. The survey, among 24, 711 adults, was conducted for APTA by Synovate.    

"In most political circles, garnering nearly two-thirds support for a forward-thinking
vision like high-speed rail would be considered a landslide," said APTA
President William Millar. "We strongly support the government’s commitment to
implementing high-speed rail. It will provide more options for travelers, as
well as create jobs and be a strong boost for the local economy."
 
APTA proposes that Congress invest $50 billion over the next six years in
high-speed rail. The association says the investment during that time frame,
along with $123 billion in public transportation investment, will help support
and create 6.2 million jobs.
 
Convenience and saving money were key factors for whether travelers would
choose high-speed rail service over other modes of transportation. When asked
how important various factors would be in choosing high-speed rail service,
survey respondents ranked the top four as follows: (91%) shorter travel times
compared to driving to my destination; (91%) less expensive than flying to my
destination; (89%) less expensive than driving to my destination; and (85%)
integration with local public transit so I can avoid use of rental cars, cabs
and parking fees.
 
Other factors the survey respondents ranked as important in choosing high-speed
rail as a mode of travel: (80%) shorter travel times compared to flying to my
destination; (79%) the experience traveling by train; (78%) opportunities
during my leisure or business trip to visit another city that is linked to my
destination by high-speed rail; and (75%) environmental concerns.
 
Synovate, a leading market research firm, conducted the travel survey for APTA
among 24,711 U.S. adults in late spring. Twenty-seven percent of the
respondents said that they were not sure if they would use high-speed rail
service while 11 percent said that they would definitely or probably not use
the service.