WASHINGTON Ridership on public transit systems grew 2 percent during the third quarter of 2007, compared to the third quarter of last year, despite a 30 percent plus jump in gasoline prices during the past year.

Most of the ridership increase was on light-rail systems. Transit bus ridership rose only 1/10th of one percent.

The American Public Transportation Association put a positive spin on the modest increase, pointing out that Americans took nearly 50 million more trips on public transportation during the third quarter of this year.

Said APTA President William W. Millar: "The greater use of public transit in the third quarter of 2007 demonstrates the importance of a community having a good public transportation system to help its residents save time and money."

In this year's third quarter, light-rail systems, along with streetcars, trolleys and heritage trolleys, had the biggest percentage of ridership growth among all modes of public transportation, with an 8.9 percent increase.

Commuter rail had the second-highest growth rate at 5.4 percent, while subway ridership grew nationally by 4 percent.

Bus ridership throughout the U.S. showed an increase of 0.1 percent, although in communities with a population below 100,000, bus ridership was up 7.5 percent, according to APTA numbers.

Meanwhile, APTA is decrying media reports and statements coming out of Congress that the Bush Administration is considering eliminating all federal funding for public transit security in its fiscal 2009 budget.

"If this is true, this is an outrage," said Millar. "Transit security is a national security issue and national security is the responsibility of the federal government. Why should public transportation riders, who take public transportation 34 million times each weekday, be treated as second-class citizens?

"We strongly urge the Bush administration to not only include federal funding for public transit security but to increase the amount for FY 2009," said Millar.

"Just this summer, Congress did its part in voting, on a bipartisan basis, to authorize $3.4 billion for transit security over four years and President Bush signed this legislation in August. Zeroing out public transit security funding would be a reversal of public policy that would put millions of citizens at risk."