Is Transit A Waste?

Why is it that even after spending billions to build mass transit, fewer people commute to work by public transportation today than in the 1960s?

1 minute read

March 13, 2003, 3:00 PM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"In the early 1970’s, the U.S. began subsidizing mass transit of various kinds, including subways, light rail, ferries and bus systems. According to the American Public Transportation Association, those taxpayer-provided subsidies increased to $160 billion in combined building and operating subsidies just for the last ten years alone. [i]The result of this spending?According to the U.S. Census, the number of commuters using public transportation has declined steadily at every census since 1960—not just the percentage but the number of commuters."

Thanks to George Passantino

Tuesday, March 11, 2003 in Reason Public Policy Institute

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