BostInno | By Nate Boroyan 08/14/14
Taking the MBTA instead of driving can save Boston commuters more than $13,000 per year, according to the American Public Transportation Association.
APTA’s August Transit Savings Report concludes T-riders can save $13,045 per year – 1,087 per month – by choosing subways, trolleys, trains and buses over cars. Further, the report ranks Boston as the third best city in terms of transit cost-savings. Only New York ($14,963) and San Francisco ($13,220) public transportation users saved more than T-riders in Boston.
APTA publishes a monthly Transit Savings Report as a resource to show how individuals in two-person households can save money by not driving a car. The report ranked the top 20 cities with the highest public transit ridership in order of transit savings, which were based on the purchase of a monthly public transit pass.
Total savings were calculated by comparing the cost of public transportation and the cost of owning and driving a car, which factored in the $3.47 per gallon national gas price average and unreserved monthly parking rate numbers.
Here’s the full ranking:
| City | Monthly | Annual | |
| 1 | New York | $1,247 | $14,963 |
| 2 | San Francisco | $1,102 | $13,220 |
| 3 | Boston | $1,087 | $13,045 |
| 4 | Philadelphia | $1,002 | $12,023 |
| 5 | Seattle | $998 | $11,974 |
| 6 | Chicago | $992 | $11,910 |
| 7 | Honolulu | $981 | $11,774 |
| 8 | Los Angeles | $939 | $11,271 |
| 9 | Portland | $897 | $10,763 |
| 10 | San Diego | $892 | $10,703 |
| 11 | Denver | $878 | $10,530 |
| 12 | Minneapolis | $877 | $10,528 |
| 13 | Baltimore | $861 | $10,334 |
| 14 | Washington, DC | $843 | $10,121 |
| 15 | Pittsburgh | $827 | $9,925 |
| 16 | Cleveland | $823 | $9,874 |
| 17 | Miami | $791 | $9,495 |
| 18 | Atlanta | $791 | $9,493 |
| 19 | Las Vegas | $781 | $9,377 |
| 20 | Dallas | $777 | $9,322 |
