Saturday, September 5, 2015

East Central Indiana needs more public transportation options

starpress : "Transit investments get workers to jobs and help get customers to cash registers. Good public transportation benefits all of us whether we are young, whether we are senior citizens or whether we are in our middle years. It is vital for those who have a disability as well as for those who do not drive for any reason."


Benefits of #publictransit are many and are material

Suntimes letters: "However, neither the Editorial Board nor Mr. Dillard notes the environmental benefits of expanding mass transit. According to the American Public Transportation Association, when a commuter with a 20-mile commute switches from driving to public transportation, he or she reduces carbon emissions by 4,800 pounds a year. What’s more, households relying on public transportation instead of cars save $6,251 in annual fuel costs.

We should increase Illinois’s highway tax to pay for extending the Red Line to 130th Street, extending the Blue Line to Yorktown, and building high-speed rail between the Loop and O’Hare. In addition, we should institute congestion pricing—that is, charge people for the privilege of driving downtown. Since 2003, London has done exactly that, charging commuters an average of $17.40 to enter the downtown zone. Since then, London has had a 34 percent drop in downtown drivers. The fee generate $300 million for mass transit every year. And the Brits have received an unexpected bonus–London has experienced a 40 percent decrease in the rate of car crashes."



'via Blog this'

Friday, September 4, 2015

US spending $9m a day to bomb for oil, while 45% of Americans have no #publictransit

Congress must invest in public transportation - Chicago Tribune: "That’s why it’s so disappointing that roughly 45 percent of Americans don’t have access to any public transit.

Congress’ inaction means our entire transportation infrastructure is falling apart. Is this really the best Congress can do? Americans deserve better.

I urge our members of Congress to take the lead to make public transportation the priority it should be. This issue impacts us all."