Soaring fuel prices are proving to be a pain for most people in the country, but they may have helped save the jobs of hundreds of workers in North Dakota's oldest town. The Motor Coach Industries plant is the biggest employer in Pembina — about a quarter the residents in the town of 640 work there. Four years ago, it was struggling to stay open. Now, as more people across the U.S. shun gas-guzzling vehicles for public transportation, bus ridership is up. Transit systems from Houston to New York City are mulling expansion to keep pace.

Full story: chron.com