Our reliance on cars today is causing major economic and environmental impacts, putting our nation behind other leading nations in Europe and Asia. Improving our public transit systems will reduce our dependence on oil, curb congestion on the roads and in airports, protect our environment by greatly reducing the number of cars on the road and boost the American economy by providing thousands, potentially millions, of jobs. High speed rail becoming a reality is not far out of our reach. President Obama has already initiated grants nationwide for the building of high speed rail, and likewise to improve our local transit systems. MassPirg looks to address this by gaining attention, locally and nationally, to public transit movements, and getting support from local and state representatives. Already, Salem State’s chapter has held a press conference with Representative Keenan on the release of MassPirg’s public transit report, On the Right Track, and sent out a ‘Choo-Choo-Choose Me’ valentine with over one hundred and twenty student signatures. In the near future we will be collecting photo petitions and also planning events for Transportation Freedom Day on March 4^th. A helping hand or a creative mind is always more than welcome for our campaign which meets Mondays at 11am, Campus Center basement in the Groups and Clubs room.