American’s and especially Michiganders are driving their cars and trucks less.

This trend isn’t all that recent. As the most recent Federal Highway Administration graph shows, the mileage has flattened during the past couple years and is now on the decline.

Comparing January 2008 to January 2007, the nation drove 1.7% less. Michiganders drove 4% less, a reduction of 350 million miles for one month. Comparing December 2006 to December 2007, Michigan drove 6.2% less or 525 million miles.

Given the recent gas price increases, this downward trend should only grow.

This is good news for bike shops and bike advocates. Why should we spend more money on expanding roads while the vehicle use is declining? Now is the time to invest in alternatives such as on-road bike facilities.

These trends are also good for SMART. Their April ridership numbers continued to climb and are now setting records.

The Suburban Mobility for Regional Transportation (SMART) is posting the highest ridership since its formation in 1967. SMART carried more than 44,000 passengers daily for the month of April. Weekend service on SMART is also at its peak. Overall, ridership on the Fixed Route system has increased more than 6.5% from this time last year.

Unfortunately there is a significant drawback to Americans driving less. Transportation funding relies heavily on fuel taxes. The less people drive (or the higher MPGs their cars get) the less money flows into the system to fund transit, roads, and trails. The funding mechanism is clearly broken.

The Governor created a Transportation Funding Task Force which is looking at alternatives. MTGA, TRU, and other groups are working with this group to ensure biking and transit funding is adequately funded, especially as more Michiganders switch to these modes.

While we’re not endorsing any presidential candidate at this time, it was great to hear Senator Obama recently highlight bike lanes during his recent visit to Portland, Oregon:

If we are going to solve our energy problems we’ve got to think long term. It’s time for us to be serious about investing in alternative energy. It’s time for us to get serious about raising fuel efficiency standards on cars. It’s time that the entire country learn from what’s happening right here in Portland with mass transit and bicycle lanes and funding alternative means of transportation.

Promoting bike lanes in Portland was a smart move since a large percentage of those listening to the senator were cyclists. From the Bike Portland blog:

In Portland, when 75,000 people show up on the Waterfront for any event on a gorgeous spring day, you’d naturally expect many of them get their on two wheels

One estimate puts the number of bikes at 8,000 on the railing above the river alone (that does not include the likely thousands of bikes locked to every pole, rack and tree in a one-mile radius!). After the event, bikes were reportedly bumper-to-bumper over the Hawthorne Bridge…

Thanks to Sean_of_Detroit for creating this on-line petition. It’s a simple and quick way to get your support heard.

For more information, visit this earlier m-bike entry regarding DDOT bus bike racks.

SMART buses have them. Lansing CATA buses do too. Flint and Marquette buses are getting them thanks to recent MDOT grants.

So why don’t DDOT buses in Detroit have bike racks?

One big reason is they haven’t received many requests from their customers for them. That’s something we can change.

If having bike racks on DDOT buses is something you would use, please contact DDOT to let them know. Your options include:

• Writing them a letter (DDOT, 1301 E. Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48207)
• Calling their customer service line at 313-933-1300.
• Attending the upcoming DTOGS public open house on May 7th at Wayne State. Talk with the DDOT officials about bike racks on buses. The DTOGS plan would allow bikes on the trains.
• Testifying at the City budget hearing on May 8th, 5:00 PM, Coleman A. Young Center, 13th floor. Ask City Council for more money than what the Mayor has recommended to help pay for bus bike racks. This gets the message to City Council and the Mayor’s office.
• Speaking about it at the monthly Customer Comment meetings, which are every third Thursday, 5pm at DDOT, 1301 E. Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48207.
• Attending the monthly DDOT Advisory Commission meetings, which are held every third Wednesday at 10 am at DDOT, 1301 E. Warren Ave, Detroit, MI 48207.  You have the opportunity to bring it up during the open public comment period near the end of the meeting.

Make sure you’re clear about requesting bike racks on the buses versus just installing bike racks at the bus stops.  And, the more times and ways DDOT hears this message, the better our chances for success.

It should also be noted that there was initial opposition from SMART officials for their bike racks. Some of those who originally opposed them are now singing their praises. The rack usage was “far greater” than what they anticipated. It was a noted reasons for their increased ridership. SMART has even discussed upgrading their current 2-bike racks to 3-bike racks.

As for funding, MDOT’s Transportation Enhancements grants program has funded bus bike racks in other Michigan cities. Increased ridership can help offset any additional maintenance that these racks require.