May 13, 2008

Transportation: A non-issue for campaign

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By  Dan Reichard

• Howard Nichols[ May 16th, 2008 @ 5:27am ]

  With gasoline prices soaring thru the roof, we need to make sure transportation is a top priority for our congressmen, senators and our new President and Vice President. We are already seeing ridership up in the Orlando area and I am sure everywhere else as well. Low and Middle income people are going to be devistated if gasoline keeps going up at the rate it is now. When I moved to Florida 6 1/2 years ago, I was paying $0.99 per gallon for gasoline. Now it is anywhere from $3.69 - $3.77 per gallon. That is nearly a 400% increase. We definately need to find some kind of alternative fuel or start drilling here at home and quit giving our hard earned dollars to the Middle Eastern countries, especially those that hate America. I quit buying Citgo gasoline over a year ago and do not plan on ever buying that brand as long as it is in the hands of a man who literaly hates our President and our country. Why make him a millionare?

• Jan van Eck[ May 16th, 2008 @ 9:50am ]

  Perhaps more critical than a general discussion of funding for transport alternatives is the selection of the next Secretary of Transportation. Whoever runs the Cabinet is going to set the tone and the policy for the next decade. Although (obviously) I suggest myself, might I mention the following:
  
  1. Our "fuel crisis" is more a function of our collective waste than of shortage of actual quantity of liquid fuels. At this moment we consume roughly 1.65 gal. per capita per day. If we collectively reduce that to 1.25, then we do not require one drop of imported Middle East oil. Incidentally we can do that quite easily.
  
  2. We can set the price of liquid transport fuels pretty much wherever we want. Sound astonishing? Not really. All you need to do is replace the "open market" mantra, the current orthodoxy, with a purchasing cartel approach. The Secretary simply takes over the importation of oil, and sets his purchase price (name your number: e.g. $30/bbl). The vendors can take it or leave it. Those that supply MUST sell to the Secretary (e.g. the US Government) and then the Secretary simply marks it up to say $45./bbl to the refiners.
  Now this creates a supply shortfall, so you balance this with ration coupons. Everyone gets coupons equal to 1.25 gal/day per capita, for the month. If you drive like a lunatic and burn up your allotment, then you are obliged to take the bus. If you want to save some fuel for a longer trip, then you take the bus or carpool. If you drive conservatively and ration your trips, then your allotment will stretch. Everyone can easily reduce their consumption to 1.25gpc/day; I have done it easily.
  
  3. The Secretary pushes funding for the commuter bus builders (e.g. MCI, Blue Bird Express) to go to full production with a standardized specified bus fleet, including both 45-footers and coach-style seated articulateds. You cannot run commuter service without the capacity, and rail is ju

• jc[ May 16th, 2008 @ 2:58pm ]

  The senator from arizona john mc cain is not for public transit....this is man who even was against his own states transit project in phoenix , metro valley light rail.... with this type of stupidity in washington when will we get off this oil dependency...
  
  
  the time has come for our nation to embrace all energy creation and start reducing our need for terrorist oil from the middle east and other countries that want us destroyed..
  
  with grant money to assist property owners to install energy producing devices oil will drop....it will take a few years but in the long run we will be better able to compete with the world economy..
  
  then we can get back to producing quality products that the global markets will gladly buy and our country will regain it's reputation as a world leader in protecting the future of mankind...

• wnl[ May 18th, 2008 @ 6:02am ]

  I have a son living in Columbus Ohio, He tells me that the people are all for a light comuter rail projects but the politicians there are not even thinking about, someone needs to light a fire under them to get something started there, there are too many autos and not enought room for highway expansion,so light rail is the answer.
  

• John Marino[ May 18th, 2008 @ 1:21pm ]

  Just as the temporary removal of the $.18 a gal Fed tax on gasoline was a topic of discussion and debate for the 3 Presidential candidates, APTA should contact the 3 campaigns or assorted media outlets---CNN/MSNBC, etc. and get the candidates campaigns to debate making Federal Mass Transit investments on an even par with Highways. Why 80/20 funding for highways and only 50/50 for mass transit. Why not reverse the ratios or make them both 80/20.
  
  We badly need more infrastructure investment----in mass transit.

• Dave Mix[ October 30th, 2008 @ 2:01pm ]

  As the election approaches in a matter of days there still has not been any mention of public transit from either candidate. With fuel prices dropping now as they have the hope is that the general public will not revert back to driving and remain riding the systems available. By doing so hopefully the newly elected President will strongly consider the need for funding.

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