blog

Transportation Funding Inequities

08.27.2010 | HMMH |

by Lance Meister

I saw this article and thought it was worth posting here for others to see.  Those of us in the transit business often complain about the disadvantages we face relative to highways and airports, and the bias that exists towards “subsidized” transportation modes.  The following article really sums up quite well the stark difference in funding that exists between highways and transit systems.  It also seems to suggest that highways might also be subsidized by the government.  Gasp!

It would be interesting to see if and/or how much the curves have changed in the last few years.  I’m guessing that the relationship is probably identical.  For all the hype over the amount of money in the stimulus funding for high speed rail, it still pales in comparison to the amount that was provided for highways.  We are still a car culture, but things do seem to be shifting ever so slightly. 

If you care about transit funding, you should contact your representatives and let them know.  The next multi-year transportation funding bill is still being worked on, and you should let your voice be heard.  You could also consider joining APTA, which is a great organization that helps promote transit in the US.

I have to say that I also really like the title of the article, which is probably much more apropos than the title I chose for this post!