Another conservative breaks free from the highway lobby

“For the 101st time: sprawl — an umbrella term for the pattern of development seen virtually everywhere in the United States — is not caused by the free market. It is, rather, mandated by a vast and seemingly intractable network of government regulations, from zoning laws and building codes to street design regulations. If [nominally libertarian newsman John] Stossel wants to expand Americans’ lifestyle choices, he should attack the very thing he was defending, namely, suburban sprawl.

-- Austin Bramwell, in The American Conservative pasted here from NRDC Switchboard

Why can't autosprawl operate as a business?

... Many rural lawmakers would happily see urban transit systems dry up and blow away. The common cry from the transit doubters is the same today as it's always been: Why can't the MTA operate as a business?

The problem with this thinking is that it recognizes the costs of transit services but not their value. The MTA's fare box recovery rate may be hovering around 30 percent, but that doesn't mean it's inefficient. Roads are heavily subsidized by tax dollars, too, as is every form of transportation, yet nobody talks of the state highway or airport "business model."

Transit connects people to jobs and gets them off government subsidies. It reduces traffic congestion and the need to build massively expensive new highways. It uses energy more efficiently, causes fewer pollutants to be spewed into the environment and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Why spend taxpayers' money on transit? Ultimately, for only one reason: because it's in their interests.

If the MTA can be more efficient, we're all for it. Still, the question the MTA ought to be asking itself is this: What can we do to attract more customers?... BaltimoreSun

The Urbanophile speaks up for free public transit

...Why have a fare in the first place? It is odd that we pay per use on transit. We don’t pay to check books out of a library. We don’t pay to visit most city parks. We don’t pay when the police or fire department come to our house for a legitimate emergency. Most non-utility municipal services are provided for free to users and funded by taxes. So why is transit different?... Urbanophile

Free Public Transport - It works

Free public transport @ Yahoo!7 Video

Wired Magazine - "The logic of free public transit is compelling"

The logic of free public transit is compelling: Despite the high costs and massive subsidies implicit in driving, forking over a relatively small fee to ride a bus or subway is a psychological barrier to getting people out of cars. Even the most efficiently run buses can be crowded and slow, but by running at frequent intervals on dedicated lanes between fixed stops — as the Circulator does — delays can be kept to a minimum. The bus might not stop next to, or even near, every rider’s point of origin or destination, but it ensures a measure of proximity for most riders. Rare indeed is the mass transit system that shoulders its own financial burden, and the free bus systems that last generally have dedicated sources of income aside from direct subsidies. Baltimore’s system is financed by a 16 percent tax on parking, which will raise about $5 million annually.

Read More http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/01/circulator-brings-free-transit-to-baltimore/#ixzz0dJQBcwlT

Metra fare increases are a step in the wrong direction

...the RTA's MagicCard which gives seniors free travel on the CTA, Metra and Pace all 24/7.
Despite efforts in Springfield to limit or eliminate this program last fall, it survives for all of us over 65. I'm a firm proponent of subsidized transit for everyone, paid for by much higher GAS TAXES. So rather than eliminate the MagicCard, I hope free subsidized transit someday becomes available for all, as a step toward combating Global Warming, the US's massive balance-of-trade deficit, the destruction of our urban neighborhoods, and the country's increasing class segregation and sprawl, all made possible by the car. Next month's fare increases are ridiculous wrong-way legislation. Comment by Clark on ChainLink discussion of Metra Fare increase

Stop the subsidy, the system doesn't work

The autosprawl system just DOES NOT WORK. Let's face it. We have tried everything. Look at the Tri-State, we have filled in thousands of acres of farmland with cement and we still have gridlock and mayhem. Now we are trying traffic enforcement by camera. The money changing hands is just more out the pocket of the public to support the profits of the fossil-fuel and auto companies. Public money for private profit is subsidy. Let's put an end to it.

...For example, in Roselle where two cameras are up at Lake Street and Gary Avenue, nearly $298,900 in fines was collected over nine months. Of that, $117,333 went to the camera company, RedSpeed, according to information culled from Freedom of Information requests by the Daily Herald as part of its Seeing Red investigative series.... DailyHerald

What is a good transit system?

1.A Good Transit System has Frequent and Convenient Transportation for all.

2.A Good Transit System Helps Strengthen the Community.

3.A Good Transit System Helps Encourages People to Leave Vehicles at Home and Help out our Environment.

4.A Good Transit System Helps Individual's become More Physically Fit.

5.A Good Transit System Helps Reduce Traffic Grid Lock.

6A Good Transit System Helps Reduce the COST and NEED for PARATRANSIT.

7.A Good Transit System Helps Reduce Road Construction.

8.A Good Transit System has Free Public Transit.

9.A Good Transit System works on Barrier Free, Benches and Shelters.

10.A Good Transit System Treats their Employees with Respect.

from Catmeow Transit - Salt Lake City

Do you feel crowded?

ATU Leader advocates free public transit

...This is a model that Kelly says he’d like to see instituted full-time, as well. Members of ATU 308 would prefer to see a “no fare” system for CTA, Metra and Pace, where the systems would instead be entirely funded exclusively from dedicated long-term sources of revenue, he said.... chicagocurrent.com