"Carpool program failing to gain members" -- $29,000 per car!!!

KATU - 2, Portland Oregon ^ | July 2, 2003

[hiho hiho]

Two years ago the city of Portland and Metro joined forces on a program which would match-up people who wanted to carpool.

Mark Adams, who lives in the Vancouver area, used it to hook up with someone in his neighborhood who works within blocks of him, but he is the exception.

Of the nearly 16-hundred commuters who have registered for the service, only about a dozen carpools have been formed.

For a program that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars that amounts to a cost of about 29-thousand per carpool.

Portland City Commissioner Jim Francesconi is concerned about the cost even though all the money for the program comes from federal and local grants.

Francesconi: "We're not going to spend 29-thousand dollars per car on this carpool program. We'll get rid of the whole thing if it stays at that!!

Francesconi says he's only giving the program another six months to work.

If the number of carpools doesn't increase significantly, he says he'll pull the plug.

[hiho hiho]

Never mind, it was only Federal Transportation funds.

[spoiler2]

Carpooling is a Liberal daydream, and this 'program' proves it.

The only reason people own and drive their cars to their individual workplaces is independent personal mobility. If you're waiting to be picked up, or having to pick someone up on the way, you have NO independent personal mobility.

It's the same as riding the bus to work, just a lot smaller bus!

[Bogey78O]

Mostly.

Carpooling is attractive if there are several people in close proximity to you that work in the same office.

But it's kind of a hassle since you lose a lot of independence in your schedule like you noted.

[basil]

I used to see signs posted on the main roads around Dallas that said "Car Pool Information, call this number". I always wondered if I called their number would they explain to me what a carpool is--LOL! I don't think they had many takers either.

[Cvengr]

I thought a carpool was what occurred beneath overpasses in Houston during thunderstorms.

[Hank Rearden]

I've ridden buses.

When I was poor.

[spoiler2]

Having lived in Houston, I remember those slippery 'carpools' at every intersection on warm days, as all those air conditioning systems dribbled water onto the pavement.

Something to watch out for when riding a motorcycle, as you might slip and fall, due to a 'carpool'.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

I wonder, if Al Gore and Ralph Nader lived in the same neighborhood, if they would carpool. Inquiring minds want to know.

[Mo1]

OK .. stupid question .. but why would it cost that much money to car pool .. heck, why would it cost any money?

Are they paying for these cars and gas??

[DoughtyOne]

When will these idiots figure out that twenty people going 55 miles don't work within five miles of each other on the other end. And even if they did, if they have to go out unexpectedly during the day, they have no transportation.

I have never known anyone who car pooled to join the car pool lane. Zip, zero nobody!!! Either the whole famn damily is in the car, or they aren't. When they are, you can use the car pool lane.

Liberals. Just one brick shy of being able to decipher if oral copulation is sex.

[Mo1]

I've ridden buses.

You mean that thing called Public Transportation ??

BTW .. so did I

[GOPJ]

One more very well funded, but totally stupid liberal idea in action...

[Drew68]

Carpooling is a Liberal daydream, and this 'program' proves it.

Americans love their cars. They love big cars, fast cars and cars that suck down copious quantities of cheap gasoline. They always have and they always will.

Liberals refuse to accept this fact and their public transportation schemes will always fail and waste a bunch of tax dollars.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Carpooling is utter nonsense foisted upon us by the mindless liberal googo graduates of the public education (er, indoctrination) system. Here in California, in most cases you will find 25% of the roadways (paid for by 100% of the taxpayers) used by less than 5% of the traffic. After we get rid of Governor Dufus and 50% of state spending, we should get rid of carpool lanes next.

[blackbart.223]

"I wonder, if Al Gore and Ralph Nader lived in the same neighborhood, if they would carpool. Inquiring minds want to know."

I believe we all know the answer to that one. Al and Ralph wouldn't share the same limosine even if they had offices in the same building.

Car pooling is reserved to us, "The Little People."

[stylin19a]

Umm.....29k per car per what ? per year ? giving it another 6 months must mean that's when the fund dries up.

[thegreatbeast]

The fact is that this is the way most programs works and the costs are probably just as typical. It is all overhead, and government loves overhead.