Does it mean, it works if the government throws enough money at it?
"Let me present one fact, from Federal Transit Administration’s 2009 survey of public transit authorities, whose data is linked in various ways here. Or you can download the summary spreadsheet here. For all US light rail systems in total:
User fares paid per passenger-mile: $0.18
Total cost per passenger-mile: $2.22
Taxpayer subsidy per passenger-mile: $2.04
Since I live in Phoenix and the Phoenix light rail system seems to get particular praise as a “success” from light rail supporters, here are the Phoenix light rail numbers;
User fares paid per passenger-mile: $0.07
Total cost per passenger-mile: $3.89
Taxpayer subsidy per passenger-mile: $3.82
So there, folks, is your sustainable technology. As I have written before about sustainability, “I do not think that word means what you think it means.” "
Coyote Blog » Blog Archive » Light Rail and Sustainability
Not sure I'm reading the spread sheet correctly, but it looks like one line of light rail in Seattle has a fare of $.15 and a subsidy of $20.52. Seattle also has a trolly system called SLUT (South Lake Urban Transit) that is the most expensive in country--or was that the world?
Friday, February 04, 2011
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4 comments:
Take a lesson from the Europeans on this. You can go anywhere safely and inexpensively in all of Europe. But we'd rather keep on supporting big oil than plan for 100 years down the road....
Ah, the power of mis-perception by 'mainstream' media .. heh.
Anon 1012: Europe had a head start, that's true--with the road system destroyed and no auto industry to lobby the gov't, many countries, some as small as many of our states, went with light rail. At the time, it was the cheapest. But in some countries, the tax on petrol supports the trains and forces people to use public who would rather have private transportation. Getting to the summer cottage in the woods is only for those who can afford a car and the gasoline to run it and the outrageous cost of a license to drive it. Trains don't go there.
Sounds like a simple solution. Pay no taxes whatsoever; all disparate "likeminded' communities "circle the wagons" and fight off phantasmagorical threats.
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