Public Buses * USA - More costly, polluting than private cars
Study by the Montana Policy Institute found that, as is often the case with one-size-fits-all solution
Great Falls,Montana,USA -The Great Falls Tribune, by CARL GRAHAM -July 19, 2010: -- We're often told that public buses are the most cost effective and energy efficient means of transportation available for our cities... But a recent study by the Montana Policy Institute found that, as is often the case with one-size-fits-all solutions, this perception doesn't hold true in rural states like Montana. When compared to driving private automobiles, public transit in Montana costs more and takes a greater toll on the environment per passenger-mile than does driving that same mile in a private vehicle... In addition, high subsidies on public transit systems siphon away nearly half of Montana's gas taxes that would otherwise be available to build, improve or maintain our public roads. These subsidies support a system that Montanans use to fulfill far less than 10 percent of our travel needs, despite the fact that it's cheap or even free to the rider... The average cost of driving in Montana — including subsidies — is a little under 23 cents per passenger mile, or about a penny above the national average. The average cost of Great Falls buses, meanwhile, is about $3.09 per passenger mile, 90 percent of which is paid by direct or indirect subsidies... Public transit also takes a heavy toll on the environment. Great Falls buses use nearly five times the energy and release nearly five times more carbon into the atmosphere per passenger-mile than a light truck... Bus systems in larger cities nationally are much more efficient per passenger mile for the obvious reason that they carry more passengers per mile...
Labels: pollution
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