The problem? Most people don’t live within easy reach of those lines.
“The typical job,” author Adie Tomer writes, “is accessible to only
about 27 percent of its metropolitan workforce by transit in 90 minutes
or less.” Even though millions of people live near transit stops, and
even though millions of jobs are near transit stops, those systems don’t
line up in a way that allows most people to commute by mass transit in
less than 90 minutes.
Why most Americans can’t take mass transit to work
3 comments:
I saw a bus today with a huge ad for Multnomah County's Health Department that read "Let's make safe places to play a priority in our neighborhoods...because not all games start with a power button."
It could very easily read "Let's make safe bus stops and sidewalks a priority in our neighborhoods...because not every neighborhood has a MAX stop."
TriMet has chosen to invest nearly all of its money into the light rail station, sacrificing neighborhood access in favor of massive parking lots and parking garages - which goes against many of our region's planning goals. Why would you walk to a parking garage - when a properly designed bus stop can be located at your neighborhood's commercial center, where you can walk from the bus stop to a bank, a grocery store and your other business in the short walk home after a day's work?
You're exactly right. I live downtown and have a lot of job opportunities outside of the city. Unfortunately, I can't get to them because I don't own a car and the train doesn't go down there.
There should be a concerted effort to create dignified bus stations throughout Portland. Also, I think Bus Rapid Transit could probably better serve the transit needs.
And ... why can I pay for an all day pass at a MAX station but not at a bus stop? Why aren't buses pre-paid like the trams? Why aren't there maps with the stops inside the buses?
A lot could be done to improve the quality of transit. I, aslo, tend to think that if you really want people to ride transit then you need to restrict car use. The most obvious way to do that is to restrict parking (and charge market rates to always have 85% occupancy).
FYI: Training takes pride in allowing the leader bus to "Drop Off Only" or "Skip" a known busy part of the route so the "Follower" for whom they loath, gets inundated with angry people.
My advice: Always vote "No" and buy a car!
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