The Problem with Transit

The Anti Planner ^ | 07/016/2010 | Randal O'Toole

[Leisler]

..... ridership on buses, trolley buses, light rail, and heavy rail (again, the only modes shown in 1970), grew by a mere 32 percent. That means each transit worker produced 53,115 transit trips in 1970, but only 26,314 trips by all modes in 2008. In other words, by any measure, transit productivity has declined by more than 50 percent.

About the only other industry that has seen a similar loss in productivity during the same time period is education–which, like transit, is government-run.......

[Leisler]

[mountainlion]

Don’t tell Green Willie. He will be heartbroken.

[MrPiper]

But when Obama and the democrats outlaw gasoline,, the number of public transit riders will increase..!!!

Tear down this NATION!!!! Democrat crede!!!!!!!

[MrPiper]

But when Obama and the democrats outlaw gasoline,, the number of public transit riders will increase..!!!

Tear down this NATION!!!! Democrat creed!!!!!!!

[nascarnation]

Impressive stats - good analysis.

Transit has two of the characteristics that always produces failure - government owned, union operated.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The problem with mass transit is that all metropolitan transit authorities are run as a private concession by black race-hustlers who consider robbing the public blind to pay themselves and their union thug employees huge salaries and build choo-choo trains to nowhere as reparations owed them by Whitey.

Run by honest people, they would be great.

Run by crooks, they really suck.

Since there is no chance of wresting them from the crooks, I'll stick to my Ford pickup, thanks.

[KevinDavis]

Ping me if you want on or off the No High Speed Rail List!

[Leisler]

Willie noted that in Japan the rail lines are ‘profitable’. Maybe.

What is known is that a car is very expensive. No parking is built. Car inspections are so rigorous that cars over five years old are rare.

So, destroy competition. Use force, guile, and taxes and ...Viola! Trains are ‘profitable’.

[cripplecreek]

Personally I don’t care if they’re profitable or not. I like the freedom of driving when and where I want to go.....ALONE.

[Leisler]

"I like the freedom of driving when and where I want to go.....ALONE."

[MrPiper]

Car inspections are so rigorous that cars over five years old are rare.

Interesting,, in that my current vehicle, which I bought new in 1995 is running great and in no need of replacement..........F150/150k miles......backup if it brakes down... Honda motorcycles.... 50mpg.

Always have a plan B!

[MrPiper]

Honda motorcycles.... 50mpg.

PS,,love harley's,, but way to expensive.... I paid $3.2K for my Shadow 750 in 2004 used.. it was a 2002 model,, runs great,, needs nothing.. 42K miles!

[USALiberty]

Public transportation is a abomination — a stupid socialist scheme to further chip away at our individuality. Can’t afford a car?

That’s sad for you, but NOT MY PROBLEM! Get a bicycle.

Roads too crowded? Well, then WIDEN them — or build more. You get extra points if you build them as privately owned toll roads.

[MrPiper]

Can’t afford a car? That’s sad for you, but NOT MY PROBLEM! Get a bicycle..

you are not a democrat I take it.......LOL!

[GeronL]

You forget that the funding comes from taxpayers and not the users.

That is also a huge failing

[American Constitutionalist]

What would be interesting is look at all the countries who have some kind of modern mass transit, i.e. buses, trains, rail, subway and look at how profitable, safe, crime, efficient it is like in Europe, China, compared to your urban areas in the US and see where the problem is.

[riri]

You speak my heart. I spent the last year in Stockholm riding trains and busses. Both of which, pick you up were you aren't and take you to not quite where you want to be. Luckily, I don't mind walking a little.

It is a horrible experience, overall. Loud, smelly, sometimes packed like tuna. As you said you couldn't develop a more anti-individualist idea if you tried. These particular trains even are even built with the seats facing each other so you are forced to ride while looking at a bunch of strangers.

Not cheap either. I spent probably twice what I pay in gas for two vehicles for unlimited 30 day passes for my family of four.

[snowsislander]

What would be interesting is look at all the countries who have some kind of modern mass transit, i.e. buses, trains, rail, subway and look at how profitable, safe, crime, efficient it is like in Europe, China, compared to your urban areas in the US and see where the problem is.

It would be interesting. My experience living in Japan and using its mass transit system is that it is excellent. The real key for me was the omnipresent taxi system. Taxis make an enormous difference in so many corner cases.

For instance, for a weekender, I left Tokyo and went to a hotel up in the mountains. To get there, I took a subway to a main train station, where I took a nice train up into the mountains, and then caught a cab for the final few miles.

Taking a bus would have been very inconvenient for those final miles; a cab made the trip a pleasure.

Another time, I was over on the coast of the Japan Sea. I took a bus out to an tourist attraction, a Japanese historical recreation (imagine a Japanese version of Colonial Williamsburg) before my flight back to Tokyo that afternoon.

When I left the tourist attraction, I took a cab rather than trying to find a bus to the airport. It was far more convenient than trying to use the bus service which wasn't designed to take travelers from this tourist spot directly to the airport.

I have also used the same mode when visiting in Britain. I asked a cabbie how much he would charge to drive me around the area and show me the sights. He quoted a very reasonable price, and I had the benefit of my own very knowledgeable local tourist guide.

When I left, I hired another taxi at a flat price to take me to the airport rather than try to figure out how to use the rather complex bus/train combination required to get to out Gatwick.