George Nemeth · Public transit supports economic development and creates and sustains jobs

July 1st, 2008

Finally. A PD editorial I can get behind:

Ohio should find new, creative ways to funnel more money to public transit. Adding a few dollars to vehicle registration fees or levying a small tax on tire purchases and directing that to public transit have helped elsewhere.

Commuters, especially on Park-and-Ride routes, which now cost just 25 cents more than others, should prepare to pay more. Round trip, these routes cost just $4 a day. A dollar more would still be a bargain for commuters who would otherwise pay for gas, downtown parking and wear and tear on their cars.

Public transit supports economic development and creates and sustains jobs. The RTA can’t sacrifice any more without sacrificing that role.

They should add more then a few dollars…

Raising fares is better than cutting RTA service – Post and Riposte with The Plain Dealer – Cleveland.com

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Category: Economic Development
8 Comments »

8 Responses to “Public transit supports economic development and creates and sustains jobs”

  1. J Murray Says:
    July 1st, 2008 at 3:08 pm

    I would be interested to see the evidence supporting the PD’s contention that “public transit supports economic development and creates and sustains jobs.” It is clearly the role of government, oh behalf of citizens, to invest in infrastructure to support commerce, but I have never seen a supported claim that “public” transit is any more beneficial than “private” transit in achieving this objective.

  2. Justin Balck Says:
    July 1st, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    This is an interesting point. RTA has a government mandated monopoly on “transit.” I believe that private jitney services are not allowed.

    Without this monopoly, a private service competes on the same level regarding fuel costs, but may find efficiencies to public transit in that they can tailor their routes to specific areas and even specific clients.

    But public transit is now in vogue so its easier to do nothing about the current state of affairs.

  3. Ben Keeler Says:
    July 1st, 2008 at 5:23 pm

    They spent millions on Euclid Avenue tearing that up – destroying all remaining businesses there.

  4. Derek Arnold Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 1:29 am

    Justin,

    Nothing really is stopping private entities from providing transit. What do you think Lakefront Trailways and Cleveland Southeastern Trails are?

    Transit isn’t profitable. It’s not sexy. What makes good transit work isn’t reflected in terms of profitability.

    The free market and lack of planning is exactly why transit is finding it challenging to keep up. When people move away from the core and reduce the density of the population (more routes that cover more area to serve the same number of people…do the math), transit becomes more costly.

    Oh, and Ben, lack of adaptation destroyed many of the businesses on Euclid Avenue. Even though I don’t think Euclid Corridor is an answer, many businesses have other reasons why they fell apart.

  5. Justin Balck Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    Derek:

    Lakefront Trailways and Cleveland Southeastern Trails only offer tours unlike RTA. RTA is the only entity in Cleveland to have a dedicated tax base to support its operations as mandated by SB544.

    RTA is the exact opposite of your assertion – it is not supported by the free market and is the direct result of central planning yet continues to find challenges to keep up.

    I will not accept being told where I can live simply to sustain RTA. Cleveland city workers hate it and so do I.

  6. Derek Arnold Says:
    July 3rd, 2008 at 9:08 pm

    Here’s a little something for city employees that feel put upon for having to live in Cleveland: get another job. That goes double for safety workers. If the city is good enough to cut you a check for your labor, it’s good enough to live in. Now, if you couldn’t afford it, that’s another story.

    They only offer tours because it’s not profitable to perform public transit-type functions.

  7. roldo bartimole Says:
    July 4th, 2008 at 8:22 pm

    Having just spent four hours on public roads, I’d say:

    Anyone who rides a car or other vehicle on city streets or any highway is receiving public welfare, i.e., government supported transport.

    Those who don’t have cars are helping provide welfare for those who do.

    Only unthinking people or egregiously greedy individuals would want no public support of RTA while they avail themselves of other publicly subsidized roads or many other publicly financed entities, such as baseball, football and basketball facilities.

  8. TimFerris Says:
    July 7th, 2008 at 6:11 pm

    We just had a large discussion of this last December over at my place, after Claudia wrote so nicely about RTA on CoolCleveland–

    http://timferris.blogspot.com/2007/12/claudia-pens-beautiful-devotional-piece.html

    I like Roldo’s take on who lines up at which trough, pointing out we’re all little piggies whether we’re aware of it, or acknowledging it, or not.