Message to the poor: drive a car or stay home!

Public transit is expensive, but it is a bargain - southbendtribune.com: "Hammond is likely to see its buses stop on June 30 because there is neither the political will nor the political courage in Lake County to keep them running. The Hammond buses are operated by the Regional Bus Authority (RBA) which runs out of money in just a few weeks. Hammond doesn't want to support its own buses. The Lake County Council sees no reason to raise taxes or fees to support public transit."

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APTA: 62M summer vacationers to use transit - News - METRO Magazine

APTA: 62M summer vacationers to use transit - News - METRO Magazine: "While many people flock to beaches and cabins in the woods, 104 million are planning a trip to the city. That is one-third of Americans who will be hitting the streets of a city near you. Of those who plan to visit a city, 57%  or 62 million people nationwide plan to use local public transportation on their vacation this summer, according to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) 2012 “Travel like a Local” Summer Travel Survey.

The survey, conducted in mid-May, shows that cost and convenience are two strong factors that will motivate city visitors to use public transportation. Among those travelers who will be using public transportation during their city trips, 71% said using public transportation relieves them from the worry of finding parking for their vehicle, while 68% believe that it is less expensive than taxis and rental cars. Sixty-seven percent will use public transportation to save money on parking and 52% responded they can save money on gas for their vehicle."

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Chicago: American people express their objection to the oil wars

https://twitter.com/#!/Ranaah34/status/204352041307480064/photo/1

No Cuts! No Austerity! Tax Wall Street

http://occupywallst.org/article/live-robinhoodtax-march-chicago/

What would happen if public buses were fare-free?

First, more people would ride.

The riders would demand better service. Being more numerous their voices would be heard.

As more buses were added, service would be more frequent.

When service is more frequent, it takes the guesswork out of riding the bus. More people would ride.

Pundits would start writing about all the ways that public transit saves money.

As congestion goes down, messengers and delivery trucks would become more efficient.

Employers would have more employees to choose from as their mobility increases.

The city could cut back on parking costs.

People would have more money to spend in town.

There would be less honking.

The city would be a more attractive place.

Walkability would increase.

People would move to the city.

More people would ride transit.

Carbon emission would go down.

What Will It Take to Make Mass Transit the Norm? | 2nd Green Revolution

What Will It Take to Make Mass Transit the Norm? | 2nd Green Revolution: "Will people start consistently riding mass transit when gas prices stay above $5 per gallon? $10? What about when we are paying the true cost of driving (i.e. emissions, disposal)? What if we had to swipe a credit or debit card every time you drive? How about charging for access to roads, like the congestion charge London has undertaken? Perhaps if mass transit were free; paid for by the aforementioned charges to drivers, more people would be inclined to ride."

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Jason Shelley: Reluctant rider won over by IndyGo | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Jason Shelley: Reluctant rider won over by IndyGo | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com: "there are unexpected benefits of taking the bus. For starters, I'm a lot less stressed when I get to the office. Instead of focusing my attention on the road and other drivers, I take in the sights along the route, and I see things I never noticed before. I can chat with other riders, or I can listen to music, scan emails, read the paper or do nothing at all.

National Architecture Week starts today. This year's theme is "Design Connects." How true. Architecture is more than what a building looks like. It's about how neighborhoods are connected to the community, which is why having alternative transportations is so crucial to the quality of life.

So, I challenge you to give public transportation a try.

Put aside what you think you know, and before you make a judgment, climb aboard IndyGo or one of the IndyExpress commuter buses."

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Banksters must be stopped from taking over public #transit

photo credit

Daily Kos: Occupy Transit! Transit Workers & the Occupy Movement Team Up: "”Public transit is a central municipal service, and we don’t put money into a fare box to make some guy rich. I foresee three things happening: loss of control by the city, increased or added fares and diminished service. You might want to add corruption on a scale never seen before. And once it’s done, there’s no going back. Sometimes these deals are for contracts lasting 99 years.”"

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2011 CTA Ridership Highest in 20 Years | NBC Chicago

2011 CTA Ridership Highest in 20 Years | NBC Chicago: "Ridership on the Chicago Transit Authority's trains in 2011 was at its highest level in 20 years, the agency said earlier this month.

In 2011, CTA provided 531,960,253 rides, topping 2010's total of 516,891,783. The 2011 total is the highest number since 1991, when more than 540 million rides were recorded."

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More people using CTA | WBEZ

More people using CTA | WBEZ: "With increased ridership, Claypool expects there will be a more urgent need for infracstructure improvements. Claypool said there are plans in place to improve stations on the Howard branch of the Red Line and a reconstruction of the tracks along the Dan Ryan Branch. The CTA also plans to begin replacing older series buses this year."

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