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when even the LV monorail, which has moved over 40,000,000 passengers since inception, has to file for bankruptcy it makes you wonder about the long term feasibility of these projects.
las vegas is an almost perfect city for mass transportation.
when even the LV monorail, which has moved over 40,000,000 passengers since inception, has to file for bankruptcy it makes you wonder about the long term feasibility of these projects.
las vegas is an almost perfect city for mass transportation.
If it connected to the airport it wouldn't be filing bankruptcy. Tourists need to get from the aiport to the strip so they rent a car, thus resulting in one less person riding the monorail. It loses ridership before people even leave the main port entering the city.
It is working just fine in Chicago, Atlanta and Denver, to give an example from each region of the country where you claim it won't.
Did it ever occur to you that everyone is paying for roads, too? It's not just the gasoline tax that funds a road system.
I toddle google to see how the Chicago Transit system is doing.
Income is about half a billion, operating loss is about a billion. They lose $2 for every $1 they get, Chicago mass transit passengers only pay 33% of the true cost of moving them around. That is not a viable business model for anything but the government. You can see the disaster that is the Chicago Mass Transit budget here - http://www.transitchicago.com/assets...et/2008_FS.pdf
Denver received 92 million from fares, but spent about 500 million which came from taxes. In other words for every dollar in revenue Denver Mass Transit takes in, it spends another $4+. Passengers only pay 20% of the true cost of service. See - http://www.rtd-denver.com/PDF_Files/Financial_Reports/Fin_08_whole.pdf (broken link) it's well buried on page 34.
Atlanta Mass Transit makes about 114 million from passenger fares and ads. The expenses are 400 million dollars. People who travel Atalanta Mass Transit get about a $3+- subsidy for every dollar they spend. The report is hidden here - http://www.itsmarta.com/uploadedFile...A%20Budget.pdf you'll want to visit page 16.
What Mass Transit system would you care to try next? Can you find one that is self funding based on passenger fare and ads?
Of course you realize that Link Light Rail is still in its infancy...and that it has been operating for less than a year.
We have to start somewhere...none of the highly developed public transit systems in the world were created overnight.
Light rail has been around for 150-200 years, it pre-dates the auto. How many centuries does something have to be around before it's not an infant?
Part of the problem with Seattle's light rail system may be the non-paying customers. You may wish to visit - Coyote on Portland’s Max - Seattle Transit Blog to see the Coyote problem they've been experiencing.
I don't know about you, but when I hop into my car, disturbing a coyote usually hasn't been a problem. Why would I want to pay and ride a mass transit system that has me battling a wild pack of animals?
Last edited by Minethatbird; 04-24-2010 at 02:52 PM..
99% of the concervatives out there are not againt a mass transit system...they are against the corrupt government system that never does the job correctly
the NY MTA is BROKE, poorly run, and corrupt.......and the layout of the system was poorly planned and never gets updated (for routes, etc)
an example: I live 12 miles from work...when there is no traffic (maybe 2am) it would take me 15 minutes.....but during rush hour it takes me almost 1 hr, I use a tank of gas (14 gallons) a week (at $3/gallon, that's $42 a week or 168 a month)..............to take mass transit I would have to DRIVE 3 miles to the trainstation, then wait for a train, to get to the treminal (jamaca station) to pick up the subway (to flushing), then hop on a bus to get to work, and it would take me over 2 hours......and a monthly ticket for the long island railroad is over $300 a month...pluss the subway and the bus
that's why many dont like mass transit....because the SYSTEM is just screwed up
Part of the problem with Seattle's light rail system may be the non-paying customers. You may wish to visit - Coyote on Portland’s Max - Seattle Transit Blog to see the Coyote problem they've been experiencing.
How is a coyote on a Portland MAX train a problem for Seattle's light rail system?
It doesn't pay, that's why. Nice pretty EMPTY trains that go nowhere several times a day.
Give it up already..many are operating in the red and choose to ignore the obvious.
The DC Metro system is an example. It was designed in the 60s and 70s and now doesn't have services to the main employment centers in the VA suburbs. They constantly run a deficit and the MD portion of it's expenses are paid for out of the state gas tax which means people in southern and western MD and the Eastern Shore pay for it and will never use it.
I do have to say the Ocean City, MD bus system is excellent- $2 and ride all day.
Light rail has been around for 150-200 years, it pre-dates the auto. How many centuries does something have to be around before it's not an infant?
Part of the problem with Seattle's light rail system may be the non-paying customers. You may wish to visit - Coyote on Portland’s Max - Seattle Transit Blog to see the Coyote problem they've been experiencing.
I don't know about you, but when I hop into my car, disturbing a coyote usually hasn't been a problem. Why would I want to pay and ride a mass transit system that has me battling a wild pack of animals?
Seattle's light rail system is called Link Light Rail...it has only been operating for about nine months...so it is in its infancy.
Do you realize that Seattle and Portland are several hours apart, how does a Coyote in Portland have anything to do with light rail in Seattle?
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