[Speed Gibson,
Monday March 19, 2007 at 7:30am]
Public Transit Safety
Somewhere around 1965, our enlightened goverment took over Twin City Lines, Inc., a profitable, private city bus enterprise, one that charged just 25 cents, one that was buying new buses to replace its aging fleet. Obviously they were doing it all wrong, and we needed public ownership to make the right decisions.
Not that they'll ever admit that they maybe they weren't the experts they presumed themselves to be, but the results nearly 40 years later are appalling. A rush hour ride now costs $2, and the total cost per ride is well over $5 a ride. The latest failure of course is the Hiawatha Line, which probably loses far more per passenger mile than the old #7 bus line it replace. We don't know, for the Metropolitan Council doesn't publish these figures, or so local talk show hosts complain.
And now, it's more than just a money pit. Riding public transit in the 21st century is potentially hazardous to your health, i.e., you might get shot. Not that I need to, but any thought of riding the #5 bus south of Lowry is out.
A private business would consider adding new lines or service levels, probably at higher cost to cover the higher expenses. How about new or more service that bypasses high crime areas? Or if a section of line is proving uncontrollable, reroute it and service the bad area with a new route with added security thoughout?
Thoughts like this don't fit the "mass" transit mindset, of course, so we won't see any of that. Instead, we'll see mostly PR and perhaps a few more random sightings of Transit Police, all in the hope that these problems will disappear, at least off the front page.
Not that they'll ever admit that they maybe they weren't the experts they presumed themselves to be, but the results nearly 40 years later are appalling. A rush hour ride now costs $2, and the total cost per ride is well over $5 a ride. The latest failure of course is the Hiawatha Line, which probably loses far more per passenger mile than the old #7 bus line it replace. We don't know, for the Metropolitan Council doesn't publish these figures, or so local talk show hosts complain.
And now, it's more than just a money pit. Riding public transit in the 21st century is potentially hazardous to your health, i.e., you might get shot. Not that I need to, but any thought of riding the #5 bus south of Lowry is out.
A private business would consider adding new lines or service levels, probably at higher cost to cover the higher expenses. How about new or more service that bypasses high crime areas? Or if a section of line is proving uncontrollable, reroute it and service the bad area with a new route with added security thoughout?
Thoughts like this don't fit the "mass" transit mindset, of course, so we won't see any of that. Instead, we'll see mostly PR and perhaps a few more random sightings of Transit Police, all in the hope that these problems will disappear, at least off the front page.