Mass Transit or Mass Exit...
ODOT is pushing for us to take Mass Transit... an option seemingly going off a cliff..
This week, we look a bit deeper into the financial issues of a Mass Transit program. And not to pick on ODOT alone, but to look at a few of the current transit programs around the country and to see how efficiently they operate.
In our podcast we go even deeper… asking how we can justify dicissions that use tax payer dollars to maintain a broken system.
In Short
Article 1 - We have made mention of the new Oregon Transportation Plan (OTP) and now have it listed for you to look over. This plan emphasizes the desires and the potential costs… and it is not small or cheap.
With Mass Transit costs rising, ridership dropping and security concerns at an all time high we question the viability of implementing the OTP.
Article 2 - So why ride Mass Transit? In this 2020 article from Willamette Week, riders are asked “What makes people ride the bus.” A short read but telling.
Article 3 - In this East Bay Times opinion piece, the massive financial problems of California’s Mass Transit is seen as, well… massive. The dollars needed to keep the system running for the next 5 years is almost equal to ODOT’s budget for the next two. And with Tri-Met operational costs, at well over $30 per-rider, can ODOT be far behind in their financial woes?
Article 4 - As proof to East Coast Mass Transit issues, we present this story from Northern Trust.
Weekly Articles
Willamette Week Article from 2020