I think you are ignoring the *and not be a net drain* part of the
argument.
Right now we heavily subsidize oil and all its derivatives through
general taxation to support our military which supports an aggressive
foreign policy intended to secure the supply of oil to the US and much
of the rest of the world. Whether or not we should have such a
security policy I leave as an exercise to the reader, but it is clear
that we do not build into the cost of the oil the cost to secure it.
By subsidizing oil we distort the market for everything that relies on
oil, and everything that would compete with those market spaces.
Furthermore we over use oil and its derivatives with other downstream
consequences (paper or plastic?).
Markets work, but as with technology GIGO applies.
Matthew
On May 28, 2009, at 11:15 AM, db wrote:
Why not? Automobiles/ road systems were subsidized for decades in
the US as were the railroads earlier and as is your cellphone now.
Europe and other countries just don't BS as much about the nature of
things / what it takes to make transport systems work and economies
go around. They more readily accept and address the real shared
costs of the transport capabilities that connect all of us
individually ... including the cost of gasoline.
db
Matthew Taylor wrote:
Not at all true in the DC metro area where I live or the NY metro
area where I grew up. Lots of people commute on the trains and
busses, and whenever circumstances spike ridership they have / had
a cash crisis because they don't charge what it is worth. For mass
transit to work and not be a net drain it has to be survivable at a
market price. Cost shifting is not the answer.
Matthew
On May 27, 2009, at 9:19 PM, Rev. Stewart Marshall wrote:
Again because they aim only at the lower income.
If they aimed at a higher income they would make money.
That is what I meant about neighborhoods not served.
In Europe their public transportation does not just aim at one
socio economic strata. It serves all.
In Canada (One I am again familiar with) they aim at all socio
economic strata. From Go Trains to street cars to buses and
trains serving many different areas.
Some of it is profit making some not, but since they serve a wider
area, they can subsidize the unprofitable with the profitable.
Like I said aim public transportation to folks above the poverty
line and serve them and it will make money.
Stewart
At 08:02 PM 5/27/2009, you wrote:
No, volume hurts most public transit because the cost to serve
additional passengers is greater than the revenue received from
those
passengers. Yes, you can make a bit more if you are filling mostly
empty busses and train cars, but when you need to expand service to
need greater demand you will loose money if the increase in
demand can
not generate sufficient revenue to pay the cost of expanded
service.
It is very simple math.
Public utility models assume that on average every user covers
their
costs. Public transit in the US typically does not.
Matthew
Rev. Stewart A. Marshall
mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net
Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org
Ozark, AL SL 82
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