Transit Cut but Ridership Up

How much sense does this make?  The NYT just posted a story that begins like this:  "There are some 2,300 bus stops around St. Louis where the buses will no longer stop at the end of next month, when, despite rising ridership, the cash-strapped transit system plans to lay off a quarter of its workforce and make drastic service cuts to balance its books."

Denver's transit chief calls it "the transit paradox."

Unfortunately the stimulus bill will do little to help transit systems with their operating problems.  In fact, because the money is for capital projects, it may actually add to their operating woes.

The problem is that the farebox generally pays only 20% of transit costs.

(I wonder how much drivers pay for the full cost  of driving?  Somone has surely done the calculation.)

It's clear that it's better for congestion and climate change if more of us share rides by getting on buses and trains.  It is likely better for economic integratin, as well.  So why aren't we responding to this opportunity with public policy that expands instead of contracts transit service?

  

Brendan Crain, February 3, 2009

Have you seen this? http://americancity.org/daily/entry/1308/

Link: http://thewhereblog.blogspot.com

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