America's transportation needs are nearly as diverse as Americans themselves.

A teacher living in New York's Manhattan and a farmer living outside Manhattan, Kansas, clearly have different transportation needs that our system must be able to accommodate. In many urban and suburban communities, public transportation is an important and viable transportation solution that AAA encourages travelers to use wherever and whenever feasible.

Millions of Americans live in rural and less densely populated areas of the country where their primary and often only mode of transportation is a personal vehicle. In many areas where public transit is widely used, the automobile remains the mode of choice for a large majority of people. In fact, no other mode provides more than a fraction of the trips people make using automobiles. Consider the following:

• Americans traveled 2.7 trillion miles in 2000.
• The growth in vehicle miles traveled has exceeded the increase in highway lane miles. Between 1993 and 2000, lane miles grew by 0.2 percent annually, while miles traveled increased by 2.7 percent annually.
• Nationwide, 88 percent of commute trips are made in personally-owned vehicles.

Roads are not just essential to automobiles. Buses represent the majority of public transit, and even rail transit requires roads for access. In addition, virtually all goods movement and services require roads. Maintaining, improving, and, where careful planning dictates, expanding road capacity is critical. It is important to invest in public transit and encourage its use. But, it's just as important to recognize how critical properly built and maintained highways are to all urban and suburban modes of travel. And, the need for safe, well-maintained roads, highways and bridges for the millions of Americans who live in or travel through this country's vast rural areas is equally critical.

AAA recognizes there are environmental consequences to every transportation decision. But transportation and environmental stewardship can be complementary goals at the national, state, regional and local levels.

Motorists must do their part to minimize the impact of automobile use on the environment. AAA supports programs that educate the public on the importance of regular vehicle maintenance as well as ways to conserve gasoline. Our Gas Watchers Guide offers advice on how to conserve fuel and save money while driving safely and protecting the environment. In addition to motorists, manufacturers and mechanics have critical responsibilities in designing and maintaining environmentally-friendly vehicles.

AAA recommends:

• Common-sense solutions that meet local needs, not mandates that arbitrarily dictate or limit transportation choices for communities and the people living in them.
• Integrating all modes of transportation into a complementary system that maximizes the utility of each for the benefit of the traveling public.
• Government and industry work together to improve automobile fuel efficiency and develop alternative fuel sources.

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