Doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Nobody really wants to take public transit, its slow, not always reliable, and has some very unpleasant citizens to deal with. But as everything in our lives, its all about the money. Trimet fares are among the highest in the USA but an all day pass is just a little more than a gallon of gas. Trimet is competitive where it counts, cost! Ironically, just when American's need it the most-public transit is being dismantled by years of failed Federal policies, such as allowing a 1 1/2 billion dollar transfer from bus service to rail service right here at Trimet for the mystery train at the same time Trimet is pleading poverty. Insanity is the rule when it comes to our government.
In the Portland metro area and across the nation,
commuters are in a transit-riding mood.
On TriMet, bus and train boardings were up 2.1 percent in
April, the thirteenth consecutive month of increased ridership on Oregon's
largest transit system.
Meanwhile, new numbers from the American Public
Transportation Association show the use of public transit is soaring nationwide.
During the first quarter of
2012, Americans took nearly 2.7 billion trips, a jump of 5 percent over the
same period last year, according to the APTA report released Monday (PDF).
It was the fifth
consecutive quarter of U.S. public transit ridership increases. All public transit modes saw increases. Light
rail use accelerated by 6.7 percent and heavy rail use increased by 5.5
percent.
Historically, growing
public transit ridership has served as a harbinger for job growth and recovery. But with the
economy apparently stuck in the slow lane, analysts say volatile gas prices may
be the biggest reason that workers are leaving their cars at home.
"More and more people are choosing to save money by
taking public transportation when gas prices are high," said Michael Melaniphy, APTA president and CEO.
At the same time, Melaniphy said there are undeniable
signs in the transit numbers that the economy is recovering, if only slowly. "In
some regions of our nation," he said, "the local economy is rebounding and
people are commuting to their new jobs by using public transportation."
On Monday, as it prepares for its busiest ridership
weekend of the year with the Rose Festival's Grand Floral Parade, TriMet is
expected to announce its May ridership numbers. Officials say they will show yet another increase over the same month in 2011.
In April, weekday TriMet rides were up 2.2 percent on buses, 0.2
percent on MAX and 5.6 on WES commuter rail in Washington County.
There were 340,000 average weekday boardings on TriMet during the month. But the APTA did not list Portland as one of the
metropolitan areas experiencing record ridership.
Ironically, the national surge in public-transit use
is materializing as a transportation-funding bill remains stuck in the mud of
election-year politics in Congress.
However, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said
the national ridership numbers prove that federal transportation funding is a
smart investment.
"I have said repeatedly
that--when the demand is there and the planning is effective--if you build it,
they will come," LaHood said on his blog. "And these cities are proof positive,
offering their commuters the transit options that fit them best."
TriMet is also preparing to raise fares and cut service
to deal with a $12 million budget shortfall at a time when Oregon commuters
cringe, groan and cuss at the nation's fifth highest gas prices.
In other commuting and traffic news from around the globe:
TriMet, national transit ridership surging; baby left on car roof; ambulances with traffic-clearing subwoofers: Commuter roundup | OregonLive.com
No comments:
Post a Comment