Gas Rationing of the 70s

Gas rationing in the 1970s created a similar public transportation boom to 2008 because fewer people were buying gas and took public transit instead. In the 70s, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries made an embargo on America because the United States backed Israel in the Yom Kippur War. Gas rationing of the 1970s is similar in “the ripple effect” it created (Crisp). First, fewer Americans could acquire gas, so then more people began to ride mass transit. 

As seen in the figure at the right, which shows the amount of riders from 1955 to 2010, the rationing caused a major spike in ridership during the mid 70s. However, there were some differences with the embargo of the 70s and the rising gas prices of 2008. The skyrocketing prices of gas in 2008 were from a large demand for oil. It was “billions more people…realizing their economic ambitions” (Steiner, 17). When these people pursued their “economic ambitions” they tended to need gas or oil to fuel their projects. Despite the different reasons for people taking the route away from the gas pump, it still resulted in a boom of mass transit. While jobs and environmental consciousness created an upturn, the high gas prices pushed millions more people to mass transit.


How is this similar to 2008's gas prices and jump in mass transit?