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When mass transit agencies are run as well as an honest business, we might consider them being needed. But fraud is so high in these agencies that really, most of the office in them should be in jail. Look at bi-state (now METRO") in ST.Louis area. Feraud top to bottom. Every year they go into their shops and throw out EVERYTHING, then cry they need more funding to make it the rest of the year to the next budget. Why are conservatives against the waste of taxpayer money? thats why, plus the fact the same idiots who run these ideas want to litteraly take away your right to own your own transportation.
It's the truth where I live. A bond issue to extend a public transit line to my area failed & one of the county commissioners even came out and said something to the effect of "The extension into our county would bring in a certain element which would lower property values."
Wow. One guy. And he represents about 150 million people. LOLs.
Amtrak was never given the funds to make its self profitable , the Big Dig is a highway system not a PT system. I rather have the Government run the railway network , look at the condition the freight companies keep the tracks in. the Sections Amtrak owned got upgraded back in 2007. Freight companies wait in-till a derailment to do that.
Amtrak has lost money every year in its existence except one. Lack of funds from the govt is an excuse. The thing is poorly run and, if privately funded, would have been long gone.
The highway system is public transportation.
Freight companies are not in the business of transporting passengers. Obviously, the tracks they maintain are good enough for what they use them for.
Any public transport must pay for itself or that is proof that its not really needed or wanted.If they want to pay for it by charging a fee eqaul to the service cost then go for it.We already pay for buses all over the country that can't pay for themselves as it is. We have ariline service all over the country so its not the 1900's. American's choose along time ago to use cars and ariplanes because of distances used in and convenience. We have eno8ugh freight trains blocking higways;making noise in towns and dangerous crossing as it is.
First, I would like to thank all the liberals who "know" what consevatives know and think. I didn't "know " I was supposed to be against mass transit because, (pick from any of the insults posted above and insert here).
Notice most don't add to the conversation, just insult the right as if they "know" what we think.
For me I am not against ALL mass transit.
Wash DC built a subway system. Many people use it. It takes alot of cars off the road. That is good.
I tried it when I commuted into DC for work. It took more time than driving and it cost more based on fuel and parking costs. I worked a lot of overtime. never knowing when I would get off. The system decreases it's availability to a minimum during late hours. I am not going to sit in a station for over an hour waiting for the next train. It didn't work for me.
As stated above not many systems break even, much less make money. So why build systems that are not going to be financially solvent?
Another reason, what do they call it, "unintended consiquences". Baltimore extended it's light rail into the subburbs with the last stop being the Owings Mill Mall. Within months of the line openning, crime at the mall escalated. the mall had to hire additional security. After a while business went down because of the crime. Many people now refuse to go there. Thieves go to where the pickings are.
Many of our inner cities ahve a lot of crime. Why would the people in the subburbs want to give easy access from the inner city to our neighborhoods.
And before the usual "racist" rants about "you don't people who don't look like you in your neighborhood" start. The makeup of the area is as much black as it is white.
because public transit is associated with Socialism and Socialist countries.
Public transit helps the working class and conservatives are more prone to embrace social darwinism and support businesses exploiting the hardships (transport problems in this case) of folks.
As many of you guys know, I am a conservative. There are many areas where I disagree with conservatives and one of these areas has to do with public transit. Why are conservatives so against improving public transit? I am a professional, college-educated person who rely solely upon public transit in Los Angeles Metro area, which is finally starting to see some much needed improvements. I have noticed that in a lot of conservative areas and suburbs, public transit tends to be scanty and limited. Why is that?
Uhhhh, both Texas and Dallas have conservative tendencies with liberal realities. Visit Dallas' metro DART. You'll see a vastly expanded metro rail system.
Then visit Houston's metro where they are also implementing light rail service. Houston is the largest metro in the U.S. with NO zoning regulations.
Amtrak has lost money every year in its existence except one. Lack of funds from the govt is an excuse. The thing is poorly run and, if privately funded, would have been long gone.
The highway system is public transportation.
Freight companies are not in the business of transporting passengers. Obviously, the tracks they maintain are good enough for what they use them for.
Fail post , everything you said is false. Highways are PT? What the hell? Freight Companies aren't maintaining most line up to Railway standards and they get away with it. Amtrak isn't losing money on certain lines anymore , Ridership is up and they are going to Replace the Fleet sometime this later year into next. Amtrak has never gotten fair funding its not that its poorly run , although they should cut some lines. And alot ppl know that. Compared to Roads & Airports , the funding they got was tiny. Obviously you are not a Engineer , Rail Buff , or Conductor so i don't expect you would understand how the systems work. Nor any amount of wikipeding or Google will make you understand. Its very complex.
As many of you guys know, I am a conservative. There are many areas where I disagree with conservatives and one of these areas has to do with public transit. Why are conservatives so against improving public transit? I am a professional, college-educated person who rely solely upon public transit in Los Angeles Metro area, which is finally starting to see some much needed improvements. I have noticed that in a lot of conservative areas and suburbs, public transit tends to be scanty and limited. Why is that?
It really depends on the city. If you are talking about a densely populated city (or at least a city that has a number of dense areas) like Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, Providence, Washington, and others, it makes a lot of sense. However, when it comes to other cities and most suburbs building something like a light rail system or a subway is p---ing away much needed funds. Buses are usually not too bad (those areas are designed for road vehicles after all), but even then they usually still operate at a loss. Not a small one either.
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Highways are PT? What the hell? Freight Companies aren't maintaining most line up to Railway standards and they get away with it. Amtrak isn't losing money on certain lines anymore , Ridership is up and they are going to Replace the Fleet sometime this later year into next. Amtrak has never gotten fair funding its not that its poorly run , although they should cut some lines. And alot ppl know that. Compared to Roads & Airports , the funding they got was tiny. Obviously you are not a Engineer , Rail Buff , or Conductor so i don't expect you would understand how the systems work. Nor any amount of wikipeding or Google will make you understand. Its very complex.
