OK, here's why conservative officials should support trains. Because their constituents do when trains are available to them. The writer is a Cleveland native...
Conservatives should like rail
By William S. Lind
Nov. 10, 2010
In several states, including Wisconsin, newly elected conservative governors are threatening to kill passenger train projects, returning federal money for those trains to Washington (where it will promptly go to some other state, not deficit reduction). Why?
Part of the reason is a pseudo-fact spit out by libertarian transit critics, namely "trains and other public transportation are subsidized while highways are not." The latest Federal Highway Administration numbers (for 2008) show that only 51% of highway costs are covered by user fees, including the gas tax, vehicle taxes and tolls.
At the same time, many passenger rail systems cover 50% or more of their operating expenses out of the fare box. The most recent Federal Transit Administration data (also for 2008) show that nationally, commuter rail (the closest parallel to Wisconsin's planned new trains) covered 50.3% of its operating costs from fares. In contrast, bus systems, which libertarian transit critics promote over trains, covered only 26.3% of their operating costs. Between highways and trains, it's a wash.
READ MORE AT:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/107079873.html
Conservatives should like rail
By William S. Lind
Nov. 10, 2010
In several states, including Wisconsin, newly elected conservative governors are threatening to kill passenger train projects, returning federal money for those trains to Washington (where it will promptly go to some other state, not deficit reduction). Why?
Part of the reason is a pseudo-fact spit out by libertarian transit critics, namely "trains and other public transportation are subsidized while highways are not." The latest Federal Highway Administration numbers (for 2008) show that only 51% of highway costs are covered by user fees, including the gas tax, vehicle taxes and tolls.
At the same time, many passenger rail systems cover 50% or more of their operating expenses out of the fare box. The most recent Federal Transit Administration data (also for 2008) show that nationally, commuter rail (the closest parallel to Wisconsin's planned new trains) covered 50.3% of its operating costs from fares. In contrast, bus systems, which libertarian transit critics promote over trains, covered only 26.3% of their operating costs. Between highways and trains, it's a wash.
READ MORE AT:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/107079873.html
Ken Prendergast
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505
Cleveland, OH 44107
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
www.allaboardohio.org
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505
Cleveland, OH 44107
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
www.allaboardohio.org
