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Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation Usage
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Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation Usage - 7/19/2008 10:59:10 PM
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humbleinspirit
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DENVER — With the price of gas approaching $4 a gallon, more commuters are abandoning their cars and taking the train or bus instead.
Mass transit ridership was up 8 percent in Denver in the first three months of the year compared with last year, despite a fare increase in January and a slowing economy.
Mass transit systems around the country are seeing standing-room-only crowds on bus lines where seats were once easy to come by. Parking lots at many bus and light rail stations are suddenly overflowing, with commuters in some towns risking a ticket or tow by parking on nearby grassy areas and in vacant lots.
“In almost every transit system I talk to, we’re seeing very high rates of growth the last few months,” said William W. Millar, president of the American Public Transportation Association.
“It’s very clear that a significant portion of the increase in transit use is directly caused by people who are looking for alternatives to paying $3.50 a gallon for gas.”
Some cities with long-established public transit systems, like New York and Boston, have seen increases in ridership of 5 percent or more so far this year. But the biggest surges — of 10 to 15 percent or more over last year — are occurring in many metropolitan areas in the South and West where the driving culture is strongest and bus and rail lines are more limited.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/19/2008 11:24:15 PM
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Leon_Figg3
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One of the problems in merely posting articles is that there doesn't seem to be either a reason or particular point of view that the poster is tring to get across.
I noticed that, for some reason, Chicago was not mentioned. Could it be that Chicago has already acknowledged the increase in public transportation ridership. They have also acknowleged that the mass transportation industry is not ready to deal with the increasing ridership without raising fares, and public funding.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/20/2008 12:49:12 AM
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saraimay75
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Gas here in Hawaii on a couple of the island is $5.11 and they have no public transit.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/22/2008 12:58:06 AM
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humbleinspirit
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Leon_Figg3
One of the problems in merely posting articles is that there doesn't seem to be either a reason or particular point of view that the poster is tring to get across.
I noticed that, for some reason, Chicago was not mentioned. Could it be that Chicago has already acknowledged the increase in public transportation ridership. They have also acknowleged that the mass transportation industry is not ready to deal with the increasing ridership without raising fares, and public funding.
Ok, I'll reply.  I have noticed an increase of people using public transportation here. And at the very same time, I have noticed that the service seems to be running lest often also, go figure.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/26/2008 5:32:47 PM
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groom52
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When you add the high cost of gas and the high cost of parking in the major cities, plus the high cost of everything else these days, I expect we'll see more people taking busses and trains where possible.
Here on the south shore (south of Boston) a new commuter line (Greenbush) was opened last year. Ridership was lower than expected last year. I wonder if it has increased this year.
Because Deb and I get around in power wheelchairs and can't afford to buy a wheelchair van, we travel by bus and trains whenever possible. Our town has both bus service to nearby towns and subway stations, and also a commuter rail station that goes into Boston.
One disadvantage of higher ridership to us is that during peak hours the subway trains get very full of people. But we ususally do most of our traveling outside the busiest times.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/26/2008 8:36:31 PM
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Witheringfire
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Well, I don't smoke or drink. Not a gambler either. I also don't run up excessive credit debts. That means I can continue to pump my Jeep full and burn down the road...I have no intention of using public transit. I prefer to have a bit more control of my travel, rather than surrendering it to the control of the state or local government.
Besides...everyone on the bus gets so upset when you try to convince the driver to swerve to nail the occasional squirrel....oops  was that outloud?
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/27/2008 3:17:38 AM
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Annie64
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I rode the bus a few times this summer. And I noticed that as the summer wore on, the bus got fuller.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/27/2008 3:49:54 PM
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garsyt
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They actually upped bus fare here and eliminated some routes - because of rising fuel costs for them AND the fact that the tax revenue they used to receive from the city was cut big time because of our state's property tax cap. They also eliminated the free transfers between buses. That one really irritated a lot of people, that now have to pay two full bus fares instead of one, just because it takes two buses to get them to where they are going. BUT I have noticed a lot more people standing around the bus stops when I am in town.
I don't go downtown often, except to the main public library about once or twice a month and they have free underground parking for library patrons so since we moved out of the city 6 years ago, I haven't taken public transportation. And before that it was just a few times. Trying to control 4 kids on a public bus just wasn't my idea of fun, let alone trying to haul a stroller on and off too!
Blessings,
Garsy
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/27/2008 9:23:51 PM
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colliefan
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Public transportion here is a joke. The officials of the transportion board spent millions designing a light rail system even the waste-full federal government admited it wouldn't work. When they designed the system they didn't even include a stop at the airport.
Most of my activities are done two stops down the beltline from my home which is a trip of about 15 minutes. To use the bus, I would need to go all the way downtown and the go uptown which is a journey of about an hour.
My car gets about 22 miles to the gallon and the area I frequent is about 6 miles away. Bus fare round trip is $5 so I lose time AND money taking the bus. And I could care less about the carbon footprint since the global warming theory ia about as solid as the flat earth theory.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/28/2008 1:00:20 AM
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saraimay75
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quote:
Public transportion here is a joke. The officials of the transportion board spent millions designing a light rail system even the waste-full federal government admited it wouldn't work. When they designed the system they didn't even include a stop at the airport.
Although we have an excellent bus system here. This sound EXACTLY the Light Rail System they want to have here in Hawaii. Millions of dollars and 10 years at least to build.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/28/2008 2:22:25 AM
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Annie64
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quote:
ORIGINAL: garsyt
They actually upped bus fare here and eliminated some routes - because of rising fuel costs for them AND the fact that the tax revenue they used to receive from the city was cut big time because of our state's property tax cap.
The opposite is happening here, and I'm thankful--especially after reading your post. The bus system here is looking to expand and add routes and buses, and so far the cost has stayed the same. My brother is looking to get his CDL (commercial driver's liscence) so he can get a job as a bus driver. Now's a good time to be looking for that kind of a job!
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ALL other ground is sinking sand.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/28/2008 12:29:59 PM
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GVfan
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I'm one of the "new riders" and I LOVE it! I'm saving about $200/month and I'm not nearly as frazzled when I get home in the evenings. I'm letting a professional driver battle the lunacy on the Interstate and I'm sitting back listening to my MP3 player and chilling! I take a bus about 30-32 miles, then a train about a mile, and then another bus about 5 miles. It's worth it to me!
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/28/2008 7:59:51 PM
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colliefan
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I would use a bus if they made using it cost effective from a time/money perspective. I have a partial season packet to the Carolina Hurricanes and the arena where they play is about 15 miles from my home. As a partial season ticket holder parking costs $7. I would gladly pay that amount if a shuttle bus was available, but none exists.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 7:02:43 AM
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its_GO_time
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All of the Public Transportation fans here, do realize, that your bus/train/ricshaw fare does not cover all of the cost, don't you? your city taxes have to cover the rest. That's why there's no park n rides for sporting events.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 8:22:39 AM
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iluvatar
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quote:
ORIGINAL: its_GO_time
All of the Public Transportation fans here, do realize, that your bus/train/ricshaw fare does not cover all of the cost, don't you? your city taxes have to cover the rest. That's why there's no park n rides for sporting events.
Our taxes go to something either way. We either pay for road maintenance or we pay for mass transit. Since moving to the Boston area, I am REALLY liking the subway - it's cheap, easy, fairly quick, and I don't have to worry about parking. I'd rather see a city use its resources towards building public transit systems and directing future planning towards corridors that facilitate public transit, than I would see a city promoting diffuse sprawl and building highways that keep getting progressively more congested.
-Dan.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 11:25:24 AM
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garsyt
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quote:
ORIGINAL: its_GO_time
All of the Public Transportation fans here, do realize, that your bus/train/ricshaw fare does not cover all of the cost, don't you? your city taxes have to cover the rest. That's why there's no park n rides for sporting events.
Well that's a given. That's EXACTLY why routes are being cut and fares raised here. The state government has capped property taxes thus the cities have less to work with and that trickles down the public transportation and other community functions as well.
Blessings,
Garsy
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 11:46:22 AM
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rcjames
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I paid $3.36 a gallon this morning in Norman Ok. (what was with the 3 cent discount using a Wal-Mart gift card).
Thsnks
RC
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 12:15:06 PM
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HighPlainsDrifter
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I haven't yet been able to locate the subway in Buffalo Trading Post. I think it may be camouflaged by a cornfield.
I took a bus once, when I was in college. I'd rather hitch up a team of donkeys.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 8:39:30 PM
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humbleinspirit
Posts: 16705
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From: Just Outside of Boston
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quote:
ORIGINAL: its_GO_time
All of the Public Transportation fans here, do realize, that your bus/train/ricshaw fare does not cover all of the cost, don't you? your city taxes have to cover the rest. That's why there's no park n rides for sporting events.
I knew that about the system here. It occasionally makes it into the news.
quote:
ORIGINAL: iluvatar
quote:
ORIGINAL: its_GO_time
All of the Public Transportation fans here, do realize, that your bus/train/ricshaw fare does not cover all of the cost, don't you? your city taxes have to cover the rest. That's why there's no park n rides for sporting events.
Our taxes go to something either way. We either pay for road maintenance or we pay for mass transit. Since moving to the Boston area, I am REALLY liking the subway - it's cheap, easy, fairly quick, and I don't have to worry about parking. I'd rather see a city use its resources towards building public transit systems and directing future planning towards corridors that facilitate public transit, than I would see a city promoting diffuse sprawl and building highways that keep getting progressively more congested.
-Dan.
Dan, I did not know that you moved to the area. I hope that both the city and the T is treating you well.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 8:41:20 PM
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colliefan
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From: Raleigh, NC
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quote:
All of the Public Transportation fans here, do realize, that your bus/train/ricshaw fare does not cover all of the cost, don't you? your city taxes have to cover the rest. That's why there's no park n rides for sporting events.
I agree. The problem is that it is just me. myself, and I making the trek to the RBC. With 95% of the fans coming with a significant other (or more) the cost savings of taking a shuttle would be lost.
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RE: Gas Prices Lead To A Rise In Public Transportation ... - 7/29/2008 11:34:59 PM
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humbleinspirit
Posts: 16705
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Well glad to hear it Dan!
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