Nov
13
Why Does America’s Public Transit Suck?
Bythere are exceptions. I live in Chicago where it is lovely. 24/7, comes every ten minutes at most, and goes almost literally to every block of the city. It’s good for the environment, it doesn’t add but at most ten minutes, usually, to the ride..sometimes it’s even quicker than driving a car, like on the el (subway to nonchicagoans)
Why do other major cities have such awful transit!? Shouldn’t we be investing in it in this day of global warming and the need to cut our addiction to oil?
Is it that Americans don’t want to? Are we that obsessed with our cars? Or is it just people in say, Memphis , TN don’t know how good it is?
14 Comments
November 13th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Because it is run by Government Bureaucracy instead of the private sector companies who would do it better.
Makes you think twice about letting the government run a public utility…… And they want to run HEALTH CARE!!!
November 13th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Most cities were built for cars and therefore have huge sprawl that makes public transit more difficult and expensive. To put a better transit system in place requires a lot of public money and vision and isn’t bound to get someone re-elected mayor.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
There seems to be no real reason to make it helpful
November 13th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
I think it is policy. America has built a lot of it’s economy and national identity around the production of cars. We support the trucking industry over rail as well. It takes a lot of skilled, highpaid workers to assemble and maintain cars. Imagine the demand for steel, plastics and aluminum. Trucks also require alot of workers to manufacture trucks and maintain highways. They use a lot of oil and gas which is good for the oil industry.
Airplanes are also high value manufacturing with enormous fuel consumption. The oil people are happy, they get their profits. This keeps the economy jacked up. It’s like an economy on steroids.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:38 am
I live in a major city and It is sad to see everyone is driving his or her own car. It makes me feel so sick every morning when I went to the freeway. Luckily I do not have to work then I will die real young on my freeway. America is not doing enough for our country and we will depend on the oil for a long time. Well keep your question alive and educate more people in Yahoo answer. I am sure you are making your difference here.
November 14th, 2009 at 2:09 am
You can be thankful that you live in Chicago. You are doing the right thing to let others know how good it can be. I grew up in Seattle and the public transportation there was very good. I agree that good public transportation is a real advantage for the residents of any large city.
November 14th, 2009 at 8:09 am
b/c u didn’t c the 1 in africa or south america where there trans. is the worst….apreciate it don’t hate it
November 14th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I live in Oklahoma City, and our transit is terrible. I hardly ever see a bus, I see more yellow cabs than buses.
November 14th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
There are cities that really want to do more, but it is really expensive to build underground, or even above ground railways when a city is already zoned and developed. And Bush isn’t pushing like he should.
November 14th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
idk it all very confusing
November 14th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
NYC is pretty dirty on the trains.
November 15th, 2009 at 4:14 am
There was a doc (and other stories) on this.
Basically the auto industry (led then by Ford) bought up (the then) public transit and tore it up. So now it is how it is.
And, yes, Memphis is as bad an example as any.
November 15th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Its better than Iraq…. A?
February 12th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Here’s the real reason public buses suck.
1. Drivers have to put up with the Director of operations
2. The Director of operations tries to make drivers feel like they are worthless
3. Drivers get no sick days and have to put work first and family last
4. The company hires outsiders to design the route system and times
5. Budget money is spent to make life easier for white collar employees
6. The company thinks they know what is best for drivers and passengers
7. If drivers or passengers all agree that a part of the bus system should be modified, refer to #6 reason
8. The bus company supervisors and management department could care less about passengers and drivers
This inturn makes drivers mad. So the driver becomes less social and less likely to go out of their way on the bus. It also makes passengers that are up to date with the company very upset and sometimes argue with drivers since the company will file complaints and suggestions in the garbage.
The transit company I work for should mandate all management persons to drive the bus at least 1 day a year and also stop treating everyone else as a $ sign to get a bigger raise. The more people that ride the bigger the raise. If more buses are needed then the Big guy in office gets another $30,000 a year. Like $110,000 salary and a new car every 2 years isn’t enough. to