Why Few Americans Use Transit

[longknife]

As an ex-city bus driver, I can only say that every one one of the following points is right on target.

1. Transit is slow (You can often get to where you’re going faster on a bicycle)

2. It doesn’t go where you want to go.

3. It’s expensive.

4. Lack of privacy and security.

5. Our cities aren’t built for it. (It works well overseas because their cities don’t sprawl all over the place)

6. Transit infrastructure is crumbling.

7. It doesn’t carry freight/.

8. Life is complicated.

9. It’s demeaning.

Bonus 10. Europeans don’t use transit much either.

For all these reasons, just 5 percent of American commuting is by transit while 86 percent is by car. When all travel is counted, transit represents less than 1 percent of the total. Yet transit subsidies per passenger mile are 50 to 100 times as great as subsidies to driving. The solution is not to increase subsidies for one form of travel or another but to end all transportation subsidies and let people choose how to get around based on the real costs of travel.

Full story @ Why Few Americans Use Transit

 

[Billy_Kinetta]

I don't do public transportation. Ever.

 

[Dan Stubbs]

As an ex-city bus driver, I can only say that every one one of the following points is right on target.

1. Transit is slow (You can often get to where you’re going faster on a bicycle)

2. It doesn’t go where you want to go.

3. It’s expensive.

4. Lack of privacy and security.

5. Our cities aren’t built for it. (It works well overseas because their cities don’t sprawl all over the place)

6. Transit infrastructure is crumbling.

7. It doesn’t carry freight/.

8. Life is complicated.

9. It’s demeaning.

Bonus 10. Europeans don’t use transit much either.

For all these reasons, just 5 percent of American commuting is by transit while 86 percent is by car. When all travel is counted, transit represents less than 1 percent of the total. Yet transit subsidies per passenger mile are 50 to 100 times as great as subsidies to driving. The solution is not to increase subsidies for one form of travel or another but to end all transportation subsidies and let people choose how to get around based on the real costs of travel.

Full story @ Why Few Americans Use Transit

Had trouble I could get to work but not home because the bus closed down at 10 PM...Just saying

 

[Dot Com]

the murderous middle eastern despots thank you for your fuel consumption

 

[Scamp]

As an ex-city bus driver, I can only say that every one one of the following points is right on target.

1. Transit is slow (You can often get to where you’re going faster on a bicycle)

2. It doesn’t go where you want to go.

3. It’s expensive.

4. Lack of privacy and security.

5. Our cities aren’t built for it. (It works well overseas because their cities don’t sprawl all over the place)

6. Transit infrastructure is crumbling.

7. It doesn’t carry freight/.

8. Life is complicated.

9. It’s demeaning.

Bonus 10. Europeans don’t use transit much either.

For all these reasons, just 5 percent of American commuting is by transit while 86 percent is by car. When all travel is counted, transit represents less than 1 percent of the total. Yet transit subsidies per passenger mile are 50 to 100 times as great as subsidies to driving. The solution is not to increase subsidies for one form of travel or another but to end all transportation subsidies and let people choose how to get around based on the real costs of travel.

Full story @ Why Few Americans Use Transit

11. Most of us have cars.

 

[Manonthestreet]

the murderous middle eastern despots thank you for your fuel consumption

They also like to blow up mass transit..........

 

[blastoff]

I occasionally use our bus system and it's quite good. Primarily if I'm having one of our cars worked on there's a bus stop right across the street from the place and a stop two blocks from our house, so it's very convenient for dropping off/picking up a car.

Also, in the summer when the heat index hits a certain level rides are free. I thought that was a typically stupid bureaucratic idea and mentioned it to a driver once, but he replied the vast majority of riders are daily commuters, students, etc. who buy weekly or monthly passes so the bus company already has their money anyway and the freebie program only benefits folks like me who just ride once in a while and pay the $1.50 fare.