Public Transportation as a Solution to Oil Dependence

Abstract

Hurricane Katrina’s landfall on the Gulf Coast was a stark reminder of the American dependence upon petroleum for transportation. Among the many deep and significant impacts following the disaster was a dramatic spike in domestic gasoline prices. Data in figure 6.1 indicate that average retail gasoline prices in the United States rose by 20 percent in a week after the hurricane, and the timing of the disruption at the end of the summer peak travel season further emphasized the importance of the price of gasoline to most Americans.