CAP METRO’S MISGUIDED DIRECTION
Below is a letter, by Jim Skaggs, to the Editor of the Austin Chronicle
Dear Editor,
I applaud Lee Nichols’ article: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A940810
Can’t Get There From Here” [News, Jan. 22]: Cap Metro’s misguided direction has made a mockery of Austin’s stated objectives for social equity/justice. The commuter train decision was a disaster because it diverted massive resources to serve 1,000 daily train riders who mostly have cars, while degrading service for 40,000 daily bus riders, who mostly have no choice.
The high cost of the commuter train also deferred implementation of a network of Rapid and Express bus routes which should be running now, according to Cap Metro’s “All Systems Go” promises. The first Rapid Bus (North Lamar-South Congress) alone would have substantially improved transit for up to 10 times as many people as the commuter for a fraction of the cost. In fact, many commuter train riders are better served by the Express bus routes which have existed for years.
Considering Cap Metro’s massive cost overruns on the train’s implementation and operations, taxpayers will subsidize every daily, two-way rider on the train by an average of $20,000 per year and a rider from Leander-Austin by more than $30,000. At this rate, it would be much less costly for taxpayers to buy every rider a new car each year and pay for the gas. It is highly unlikely, but, if this averaage subsidy could be reduced to one-fourth ($5,000), it would still be financially irresponsible and unsustainable. The current subsidy is 10 times the subsidy of a bus rider. There are no societal benefits from this and many negative impacts: Congestion and pollution are increased, hazards are created, flexibility is greatly diminished, and social equity suffers as overall transit is degraded with increasing fares and reduced service.
Some people would be embarrassed, but it would clearly be better if Cap Metro stopped the commuter now, avoided bankruptcy, and focused on providing the most effective transit for available resources. There is a limit to tax dollars and dollars spent unwisely cannot be spent to serve the community’s greater good. Cap Metro’s 10-year trends of decreasing ridership and increasing costs are not sustainable and will lead taxpayers, transit riders, and transportation to further suffering.
Jim Skaggs
Coalition on Sustainable Transportation