Dramatic Shift
Posted by Fred Jandt
Editor, Mass Transit
The Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters, came out swinging this week, calling the federal gas tax “antiquated†and saying that the federal approach to funding transportation is “broken.†She goes on to say that it’s, “time for a new, a different and a better approach†to funding.
Take note of the wording there. She said the approach to funding transportation was broken, not transit.
So what’s this new, different and better approach to funding transportation? It’s the approach we in the transit industry have heard about and been dreading for some time now — taking of funds from the transit account to the highway account in the Highway Trust Fund.
See here’s where I get confused. Evidently the federal gas tax and its funding of the Highway Trust Fund wasn’t an “antiquated†or “broken†system when gas prices were $2 cheaper and there were 10 billion more miles being driven. When people are driving less and using less gasoline, then suddenly the system is broken? You didn’t see this coming when gas prices surged to $3 a gallon?
And what’s worse is this notion that a gradual shift towards more funding for transit is needed? Is this a political shift … i.e. a gradual one in which the time it takes equates to the natural progression of a political campaign? If the 10 billion fewer miles and the continued drop in gasoline usage while transit business is booming is any indication, then this is the time for a dramatic shift in the funding for transit.
I’m a sports fan. And one of the things you will hear a lot around sports talk shows is the idea of fans voting with their dollars. If fans really don’t like something, you will know by how they spend their money. Right now people are spending their money on transit instead of on their cars. They are making that choice.
So where is the government support? For years transit has gotten short shrift due to our nation having a “car culture,†which is evident by how the Highway Trust Fund is apportioned with a much larger percentage of monies going to the highway account than to the transit account. It’s high time that changed. Actually, how about fixing the system by simply swapping the percentages?
Rather than simply acting like a spoiled kid who wants to change the rules now that they don’t favor them, the federal government should open its eyes to the dramatically changing transportation landscape in front of them and make some equally dramatic decisions when it comes to funding.
Thanks for reading the MT Position updated every Friday,
July 31st, 2008 at 11:01 pm
The good news is that Secretary of Transportation, Mary Peters, will be looking for work next year. Hopefully we’ll get someone who understands transit.
August 1st, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Wow Dave, what do you know that others don’t??
Hey, did anyone see in pre- pre- Apta EXPO materials that both Presidential candidates were invited to the EXPO in San Diego? Will either or both show one-month out to an International show on transportation? I and other readers here, I’m sure, would be interested to hear predictions and reasons why they’d attend or not. Talk about your security nightmare… please provide your input on this Friday….
Have a great weekend all!
August 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Instead of the usual wimpy Transit Industry “hopefully… someone in Government will magically snap out of their ignorance of transit…” -Try this:
Transit operators, as a collective, begin understanding how the market works. Maybe organization and co-operation with local shippers is a quicker way to the public’s (the MARKET) heart, not waiting for a transit epiphany in DC. Shippers are concerned with trucking energy costs, even rationing of diesel.
Following this is easy if management looks at the circa 1950 & previous transport model in the USA. Interurban Electric Railways and shortlines, and branch service of the big mainline RRs. The “Retail Railroad”, a local fixture in America until rubber tire mentality and cheap oil got together.
Forget about much help from Washington; individual TMA’s and local operations need to find out where the rails used to run, rehab what can be, add capacity & extend existing rail plant. National Guard must re-commission Railroad operations & maintenance battallions, here is source of new generation of rr staff. DC can help with corridor reservation, stockpiling steel scrap for rail & hardware, lighting up a closed rail rolling mill.
Hopefully this: a number of transit employees, even a manager here & there; exhibits the initiative to obtain the USA Rail Map Atlas for their locale (spv.co.uk) and goes to the Obama or McCain rep, and help them become rail savvy. And the Post Office, and WalMart, other big shippers hooked on trucks.
The buses must keep running; they have their lobby. Missing is the freight component necessary to keep victuals & necessities of life on the shelves.
And “Retail Railroad”? See “ELECTRIC WATER” by Christopher C. Swan. Candidate staff, call me at (530-543-1259) or if the transit people stay hunkered down waiting for the money angel from DC…
August 1st, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Hi Fred,
I always look forward to your editorials but this one is particularly well focussed and germane. So to-the-point that transit riders(aka tax payers)around the country should copy, paste and forward this to each member of their Congressional delegation.