Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Austin, TX - Free Transit Proposal

Bus Riders' Union proposes free public transit for Austin Texas:

(graphic from Austin Chronicle)

Using data from the Kheel Report, a 10% reduction in congestion could save $200 million in recovered productivity, healthcare and auto insurance, among many other areas. However, since New York City and its transit service area is roughly 12 times the size of Austin and its service area, we might realize even more savings. The Kheel Report estimates that it would save New York nearly $4 billion per year in recovered productivity based on a 25% reduction in congestion; a shrewd calculation puts Austin's expected savings at $333 million were we to achieve the same reduction in congestion.