'Dump the Pump Day'

[steven]

With oil and gas prices dramatically higher than a year ago, the push is on to encourage commuters to use public transit.

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is joining with fellow members of the American Public Transportation Association in support of the "National Dump the Pump Day" on Thursday, June 8.

The agency, which calculates that commuters could save anywhere from $2,100 to $2,868 per day by using public transit, is getting the word out. In the first four months of 2006, NFTA ridership was up 3.7 percent to 8.08 million users from 7.79 a year ago.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/s...l?surround=lfn

[NoCtUrNaL]

The agency, which calculates that commuters could save anywhere from $2,100 to $2,868 per day by using public transit, is getting the word out.

Ha....it might be cheaper to take a $1.50 ride rather then using your personal car if you don't factor in wait time and slower travel time. Your time should have a price.

[ForestBird]

I'd be thrilled to save $2100 to $2868 per DAY, as the article states. hahaha

Historical note: in the first 4 months of 1920, the local IRC carried aprroximately 80 million fares. NFTA says 8 million for the same period, this year.

[ForestBird]

I was trying to add this:

After 1920, it was all downhill for public transportation. Automobile ownership, rising labor costs, and refusal of munipalities to grant fare increases were dooming factors. The IRC, and most other streetcar companies, were required to pay property taxes for every foot of track in every street, plow, sweep, and sprinkle those streets from curb to curb, carry school children for free, etc. Towns tried their best to suck them dry, while painting the companies as rich, greedy, and abusive. No wonder they dumped the trolleys and bought buses, as soon as they could!

Also, many traction companies were owned by utilities (United Gas & Electric owned the IRC) so the losses on streetcar operations were often covered by profits on power & gas. The Roosevelt administration forced all utilities to sell their transit operations, so that put another nail in the coffin.

And don't forget that it isn't a $1.50 ride; it's $3 , unless you want to walk home. I like the San Francisco transfer system: good for 2 extra rides, in ANY direction, for 2 hours. If your errand is short enough, you can get back home on the same fare. Better yet, just make it 50 cents for every ride, run the buses every 10 minutes, and free transfers. We're not going to get people to ride public transportation if it isn't convenient, fast, safe and cheap.

[LHardy]

I was trying to add this:
We're not going to get people to ride public transportation if it isn't convenient, fast, safe and cheap.

None of which will happen as long as the government has a hand in the operation of transportation.