Posted on 01/27/2016 2:05:09 PM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
For almost a decade, transit ridership has declined across Southern California despite enormous and costly efforts by top transportation officials to entice people out of their cars and onto buses and trains.
The LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the region's largest carrier, lost more than 10% of its boardings from 2006 to 2015, a decline that appears to be accelerating. Despite a $9-billion investment in new light rail and subway lines, Metro now has fewer boardings than it did three decades ago, when buses were the county's only transit option.
The decline suggests that Southern California policymakers are falling short of one of their longtime goals: drawing drivers out of their cars and onto public transportation to reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gases and the region's reliance on fossil fuels.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
The high speed rail and the hyperloop are going to drag race, right?
A Pork Barrel Project
In some parts of the Southland, there are many illegal aliens riding the buses.
It has been referenced at times a transit system for illegal aliens.
That is overkill, but the concept is still amusing.
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise
Could it be because Americans like to take themselves places rather than relying on a scheduled transportation device with no deviation?
Maybe the dogs don’t like it, an old story...............
Once upon a time a pet food company created a new variety of dog food and rolled out a massive marketing campaign to introduce the product. Despite hiring a first-rate advertising agency, initial sales were very disappointing. The agency was fired and a new agency and a new campaign was launched. Sales continued to disappoint. If anything, they fell even further. In desperation, the CEO called in all of the top executives for a brainstorming session to analyze what had gone wrong with the two campaigns and how a new campaign might revive sales.
The meeting went on for hours. Sophisticated statistical analysis was brought to bear on the problem. One VP argued that the mix of TV and print ads had been messed up. Another argued that the previous campaigns had been too subtle and had failed to feature the product with sufficient prominence. Another argued that the TV ad campaign had focused too much on spots during sporting events and not enough on regular programming with a broader demographic. Another argued the opposite–not enough sports programming had been targeted. After the debate had raged for hours, the CEO felt they had accomplished very little. He asked if anyone else had any theories that might explain the failure of the new product. Finally, one newly hired employee raised his hand and was recognized. Maybe the dogs don’t like it, she said.
Sort of poetic justice for what they did to the privately-owned Pacific Electric lines.
I got in an argument with a lib neighbor of mine about this. We live in NJ so this isnt our hometown issue or anything but I was criticizing Brown and friends for blowing money on these transportation boondoggles when they should have been building desalinization plants (or just lowering taxes, but of course, perish THAT thought).
My neighbor was horrified that I poo-pooed GW.
It is because the idiots who planned don’t know their butts from a hole in the ground.
If they wanted to ensure HUGE public use, all they need to do is build a Disneyland/Awleg style monorail and follow the 134, 110, 405, 5 and 605 (and complete the 710 run).
Instead they built the subway system to where very few people can get to it without hassle.
They also failed to provide sufficient parking at the Metrorail stations, so it isn’t worth the hassle of trying to get a parking spot.
I lived there over 50 years and it always amazed me how they never allowed a chance to make a huge mistake go by.
The bus/train/whatever were busier than hell, making bucks....and wound up losing their subsidy. Too funny...The drivers actually were working for their money.
there will be coercion to use them.
This is not a “If you build it, they will come” event.
It is a boondoggle to satisfy libs.
And the rich libs would never think about setting foot in mass transit.
Just to preface, I am not Willie Green.
I live in Santa Monica and my wife works in downtown LA. The 10 freeway in either direction is a nightmare and the worst I’ve seen in 22 years of living here. My wife is looking forward to the Expo line extension opening. We’ll see, based on the clientele, how long she sticks with it.
That said I agree that all the projects are boondoggles. Look how well the 405 widening has done to cut the traffic to/from the valley.
Like mass transit, the government needs to get the blazes out of desalination plants too.
I’m sure it plays to all the “right” constituencies:
high tech crony capitalists
unionized construction workers
statists who desire to get rid of personal vehicles
carbon fearing nut jobs
true
Cluster? Only from that taxpayer point of view. A huge success for those who wish to plunder the treasury. Billions paid out to cronies and unions that will filter down into the campaign coffers of the very politicians who will re-negotiate even more money and benefits.
When Martin O’Malley was Governor of Maryland, he approved of a light rail Red Line. I think it was 14 miles long and went right along the main harbor road. The wanted to tunnel in at one point less than 200 ft. from the bay.
The projected cost was $2billion and they anticipated within 15 years serving 59,000 riders a day.
By federal law, light rail cars must be replaced after 25 years of service. I ran some rough numbers and with no overruns or maintenance and labor, also assuming 59000 riders for day 1, my calculations showed that they would have to charge $9 a ride to break even in 25 years.
You know that ain’t happenin.
O’Malley’s competent Republican successor cancelled the lunacy. You can buy a whole lot of buses for $2 billion.
Just who desires to ride with the ferals who are out hunting? At least in my car, I can mow them down if need be.
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