These Are the Best Cities to Ditch Your Car

Live in a city with public transit and thinking about ditching your wheels to save some cash? The American Public Transit Association’s (APTA) latest savings report might convince you to take the plunge. According to Clean Technica, the APTA uses monthly analyses to keep tabs on how much the typical two-person household can save by taking mass transportation and using one less car. In February, the association found that the average city commuter could save more than $9000 annually if they relied on buses, subways, and other alternate ways of getting around town.

Of course, you should keep in mind that these numbers aren’t just based on the price of a monthly public transit pass. They also include the national average gas price ($1.71 per gallon, as of February 17) and the average unreserved monthly parking rate in a downtown business district ($166.26). The report also doesn’t account for maintenance fees, insurance costs, registration fees, and other car-related charges. However, the data still provides us with a good indication of how much money we can conserve by simply not driving.

The report’s findings were used to rank the potential savings of taking public transit in 20 U.S. cities that have the highest ridership. Unsurprisingly, New York ranked No. 1 at $1160 per month—a fact that might help explain why only 56 percent of the city’s homes owned cars in 2014. San Francisco came in at No. 2, with $1029 in savings. And third place was Boston, with $1004. At the bottom end of the spectrum were southern and southwestern cities like Atlanta ($708), Las Vegas ($701), and Dallas ($697). 

Curious to see how much money you could save in your city? Check out the full rankings in the APTA's report—and while you’re at it, remember that riding the bus, train, or streetcar also reduces your carbon footprint, saves gas, and provides jobs for thousands of people.