They talk the talk...
The T announced that they are going to be raising fares to $1.55 in 2007 (it's $1.25) now. I'm not one who minds paying for things that I use, and the T is still a bargain at that price, but I'm generally annoyed at the lack of good policy on transportation. Especially when we are so "addicted to oil." For all of the talk on both sides of the aisle, no one really seems to be doing much of anything to help americans kick the addiction.
There was a recent study done in Boston. On average, it costs drivers $6000 per year for them to keep a car (gas, registration, parking, ect). I spend $528 on T passes per year. Even if you through in what I pay zipcar and all of the airplanes and trains I use in a year, I'm sure it doesn't hit $6000. But here's where the problem is. When you take public transit in Boston, you are paying 80% of what it actually costs for you to take that ride. When you drive in Boston, you are only paying for 20% of the costs (subsidies for car makers, oil companies, traffic police, road building, millitary escorts for oil tankers, free parking, ect). There is a major problem with that.
Let's start seeing some policies that actually help america, huh? A few less auto subsidies and a little more transit improvement.
There was a recent study done in Boston. On average, it costs drivers $6000 per year for them to keep a car (gas, registration, parking, ect). I spend $528 on T passes per year. Even if you through in what I pay zipcar and all of the airplanes and trains I use in a year, I'm sure it doesn't hit $6000. But here's where the problem is. When you take public transit in Boston, you are paying 80% of what it actually costs for you to take that ride. When you drive in Boston, you are only paying for 20% of the costs (subsidies for car makers, oil companies, traffic police, road building, millitary escorts for oil tankers, free parking, ect). There is a major problem with that.
Let's start seeing some policies that actually help america, huh? A few less auto subsidies and a little more transit improvement.
2 comments:
I miss you Zackq. I'm looking forward to seeing you soon. If my dad has his bone marrow transplant soon, I would probably get to go back to school in the fall. Then I would get to ride the T again and not pay for Doug Pagitt's car's gas. I wonder when he is taking that car away anyway?
I'm really looking forward to mpls too. I hope your dad's transplant goes well
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