How messed up is this?

[Mr Peabody]

Our public transportation here is planning a major cut in service as of 3/30. Has anyone ever heard of public transportation eliminating most of it's routes leaving thousands in hardship and stopping the trains at 8:00pm? I've been riding my bus for 12 years and now it's going to not be there. It has nothing to do with the economy, it's bad management and retaliation for the county not passing a sales tax hike of 1/2% to go into their pocket. Well the county has many who prefer to drive and didn't think when they cast their ballad. It was very close defeat. Now what are they going to do on game day or concert night? Train will be useless closing at 8. What a black eye for the city. We'll be the laughing stock for tourists. But the bottomline is all of the people who depended on this system to get to work and other life needs. More traffic, worse air, there's no silver lining here.

[Feanor]

Our public transportation here is planning a major cut in service as of 3/30. Has anyone ever heard of public transportation eliminating most of it's routes leaving thousands in hardship and stopping the trains at 8:00pm? I've been riding my bus for 12 years and now it's going to not be there. It has nothing to do with the economy, it's bad management and retaliation for the county not passing a sales tax hike of 1/2% to go into their pocket. Well the county has many who prefer to drive and didn't think when they cast their ballad. It was very close defeat. Now what are they going to do on game day or concert night? Train will be useless closing at 8. What a black eye for the city. We'll be the laughing stock for tourists. But the bottomline is all of the people who depended on this system to get to work and other life needs. More traffic, worse air, there's no silver lining here.

Problems with public transit isn't unique to your location by a long shot. Basically public transit always requires some degree of subsidy, and politicians like nothing more than low taxes. (On that score, the "fiscal responsibility" B/S is an easier sell to a naive public than real inovation to improve quality of life and the environment.)

The problem is that full cost of the transportation alternatives, especially private autos, is not taken into the accounting. The cost of additional road building and repair is usually not full accounted. Not to mention that the cost of polution and global warming are simply left out of any accounting entirely.

Automobile users aren't rational, preferring to use their cars despite huge extra cost. I take the bus to work at the cost of about $3.80 per day and maybe an extra 20 minutes of my time. I would spend that buck on gas, then there'd be parking at $100+/mo and higher insurance and maintenance. Then too we'd need an second car whereas now we get by fine with one.

[kexodusc]

Without knowing much of the details, this seems like a counter-intuitive initiative. Most towns and cities in most countries are expanding investment into public transportation because of increased fuel costs, traffic congestion, pollution, etc. There is a high infrastructure return to local economies in doing so.

Low usuage routes are another matter altogether, and how local governments deal with those varies. This sounds more like massive, sweeping cuts for short term budget gain, for even worthwhile routes if I read you right.

Attitudes will have to change I guess. I hope it gets straightened out for you, Mr. P.

[Mr Peabody]

Not to hijack my own thread, but I guess it's mine isn't it, I don't understand people. Some company built a brand new Ethenol factory/refinery, contracted to buy all this corn from farmers and now just because the price of gas came down the doors aren't going to open and the farmers will have to sell their corn below cost. This is ridiculous, not that I'm on either side of Ethenol being the wonder fuel but the price of gas will go back up this summer, it's a game, a rip off I mean, but they can't get this factory open in time to produce anything to make a difference when the gas does go up. Why not follow through and hit the oil companies where it hurts? They sure kick the crap out of us all the time. I think it's another case of the American quick turn around syndrom. Why don't we take some of the money we give Africa and buy the corn, then ship the corn to Africa? Well, then maybe some of the population there might get something to eat instead of the money going into corrupt pockets and buying us friends, and "friends" is used very loosely. On things like developing or maintaining new energy sources is something you can't have a knee jerk reaction to, it takes a long time and we need to be consistent. Why sit on our backside when the screws aren't tightened? Take that opportunity to be ready for the next time.

You are right Kex, this is across the board and it don't make any sense at all. I think it's about what Feanor said.

[audio amateur]

Good for you who take public transport ;)
I walk an good hour a day (there and back) to get to campus.

[Feanor]

Not to hijack my own thread, but I guess it's mine isn't it, I don't understand people. Some company built a brand new Ethenol factory/refinery, contracted to buy all this corn from farmers and now just because the price of gas came down the doors aren't going to open and the farmers will have to sell their corn below cost. This is ridiculous, not that I'm on either side of Ethenol being the wonder fuel but the price of gas will go back up this summer, it's a game, a rip off I mean, but they can't get this factory open in time to produce anything to make a difference when the gas does go up. ... Why don't we take some of the money we give Africa and buy the corn, then ship the corn to Africa?...

The whole ethanol biofuel thing was a transparent Republican(-style) boondoggle to subsidize redundant corn farmers while making it look like a lofty enviromental initiative. Farmers and other putative beneficiaries of such boondoggles need to understand that these scams can be discovered and cancelled.

It is well demonstrated the enthanol as a fuel gives little polution relief and is a net contributor to green house gases. Also, it drives up the price of corn as food or food consituent, thus have distincly negative effect on world food prices and the starving millions.

[Mr Peabody]

As you can see by my post I'm all for feeding the hungry, I heard a study once comparing how many more people can be fed by the corn used to fatten a cow opposed to the small number fed by the cow. I also heard studies by the Ethenol people saying the corn used isn't the corn people normally eat etc. It's hard to know sometimes what to believe. I do believe one thing though that it is blatenly stupid to wait for gas prices to go up again to try and do something about it. What if it spiked $10.00 a gallon? The economy is fragile to say the least and it will be interesting to see what crazy gas prices will do this summer. I bet we will see come a week or so before Memorial Day.

[nightflier]

Actually gas prices spiked today, when ironically the rest of the market slid back. Do I detect a pattern? Say it isn't so....

[Luvin Da Blues]

Or, they could drop the pump prices, gain public favor back. Claim hardship and ask for a bailout de jour. Then 'bout July jack the prices back up.