The theory of public transportation is great but the practice fails more often than not in this country. The light rail in Charlotte did in fact inspire hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment. Great for the tax base. But on an operating basis ridership doesn’t come close to supporting the cost. Ridership hasn’t grown because the demand is just not there no matter how bad you want it.
I just returned from my second trip to Houston in the last 90 days. During the two trips, I had to drive to various places in the city. While travel during rush hour was crowded, it was never stop and go. I asked a local resident who pointed out that I had been traveling mostly on toll roads. The toll roads push cost conscious drivers to city streets while less cost conscious drivers take the toll roads. Both groups win because neither travel route ever gets too crowded. I know that most of northern Mecklenburg County citizens hate toll roads, but I don't understand why we don't have more of them. It would solve part of the traffic problems while freeing money for mass transit.
BTW, the only way to get real adoption of mass transit in Charlotte is to make it free. Our citizens are not directly charged from many, many things that government provides (fire department, police department, etc.) but pay for it through taxes. If the powers that be really think mass transit will solve the transportation problem, make it free. Start with the existing bus and rail system we now have and see what it does to the ridership. If it does not pick up dramatically, you have your answer.
Lively, thoughtful responses -- take a bow, readers!
It's almost in the tradition of the old O letters page, and possibly "The Buzz"
The theory of public transportation is great but the practice fails more often than not in this country. The light rail in Charlotte did in fact inspire hundreds of millions of dollars in capital investment. Great for the tax base. But on an operating basis ridership doesn’t come close to supporting the cost. Ridership hasn’t grown because the demand is just not there no matter how bad you want it.
I just returned from my second trip to Houston in the last 90 days. During the two trips, I had to drive to various places in the city. While travel during rush hour was crowded, it was never stop and go. I asked a local resident who pointed out that I had been traveling mostly on toll roads. The toll roads push cost conscious drivers to city streets while less cost conscious drivers take the toll roads. Both groups win because neither travel route ever gets too crowded. I know that most of northern Mecklenburg County citizens hate toll roads, but I don't understand why we don't have more of them. It would solve part of the traffic problems while freeing money for mass transit.
BTW, the only way to get real adoption of mass transit in Charlotte is to make it free. Our citizens are not directly charged from many, many things that government provides (fire department, police department, etc.) but pay for it through taxes. If the powers that be really think mass transit will solve the transportation problem, make it free. Start with the existing bus and rail system we now have and see what it does to the ridership. If it does not pick up dramatically, you have your answer.