Delojozafado

Supercycle or Not, Expensive Oil Is Unavoidable

America's love affair with the auto is driven by the Gov't which we must suppose is a reflection of the will of the people, not having any national policy to support mass transit. On the other hand we see such things as AMTRK being made a whipping boy for not being able to operate at a profit.

The whole profit thing needs to be taken out of the mass transit issue. If we want to have a national policy reducing oil dependence then we need to do what other nations do and make the riding of mass transit "Too cheap to meter". If you provide adequate service and frequencies then mass transit that costs 1/3 to 1/4 th of what driving a car costs then the consumer will gravitate to a less convenient transportation mode. As it is now even the parking lots at many mass transit stops charge a parking fee. Parking has to be vastly expanded and made free of charge. Increasing costs of labor,maintenance and operation have to be mostly borne by the Gov't to foster the delta of driving to work vs using the bus and train economically disadvantageous. This means toll roads and higher tolls as well ,and high gasoline taxes to subsidize mass transit.

In the end only the Vegan types are willing to vote for that agenda. What do you do for the parts of the country that are thinly populated?
Create a population density coefficient to apply to the higher gas taxes?