Gas taxes don't cover road costs

According to a new report by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), not a single road in Texas “pays for itself” with the current taxation system. “For example,” says the report, “in Houston, the 15 miles of SH 99 from I-10 to US 290 will cost $1 billion to build and maintain over its lifetime, while only generating $162 million in state and federal gas taxes. That gives a tax gap ratio of .16, which means that the real gas tax rate people would need to pay on this segment of road to completely pay for it would be $2.22 per gallon.” gulfcoastinstitute.org

Reykjavík, Iceland - Mayor Wants Free Buses

“I hold the opinion that we should investigate the benefits of making buses free for everyone. The change in attitude involved in increasing the number of passengers on buses and thereby decreasing the number of cars on the streets of the city is invaluable,” Magnússon told 24 Stundir.

Hamilton, ON - Free transit proposed

Hamiton Transit Users Group

In a press release today, Councillor Sam Merulla (Ward 4) called on the federal and provincial governments to "show leadership" and invest in a pilot program to implement free transit on Hamilton buses.... raisethehammer.org

Estonia - Reaction to attack on transit

“I call the idea to save money on the expense of public transport to be the most idiotic thing someone could come up with in the middle of a fuel crisis,” said the chairman of the trade union, Peep Peterson according to postimees.ee.

He added that elsewhere public transport is strongly supported in order to limit the use of fuel and by that make the price shock a bit more bearable.

“Estonian government, however, seems to want to tie all national funds together with a pink ribbon and offer them as a sacrifice to the oil kings in Siberia....
--balticbusinessnews

Carbon-auto trolls busy as panic sets in

Can you imagine someone with a master's degree seriously proposing that transit fares be raised at a time like this? Yesterday Dennis Byrne did exactly that in the chicagotribune.com.

People are turning to public transportation in the face of high fuel prices. The U.S. carbon-auto industry is fearful and desperate. They can no longer control the price of crude. International competition is heating up and military solutions are not working well.

The U.S. treasury is tapped out. People are tired of oil wars. People are tired of traffic delays, parking problems. People are worried about global climate disruption.

The U.S. carbon-auto industry is turning loose its trolls and wannabe trolls with orders to propagandize that public transit is "subsidized" [it is not], that service must be cut, taxes raised, or fares raised.

We need to be bold and take this campaign head on. Public transit is a public investment. Fares are restraint of trade tariffs that hurt other business and consumers in favor of the carbon-auto industry. An industry that has enjoyed trillions in subsidies as taxpayers have paid for their externalities and still have a climate mess left to be addressed.

Join your local transit advocacy group today. We need massive political involvement.

Alberta - Public transit is a GHG fix

In the U.S. there is a embargo on serious discussion of public transit as a solution for global climate disruption. Transit advocates occasionally mention it, but "environmentalists" and politicians fear the wrath of the carbon-auto lobby and are observing a blackout on serious discussion of mass transit as a way of reducing green house gas emissions. Apparently, in Alberta, Canada there is a modicum of free speech on the subject. The province of Alberta is planning to spend an additional $2B on public transit explicity as an emission reduction plan. Read more ...

CALGARY, July 8 /CNW/
The Alberta government is surging ahead on itsclimate change action plan ... to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions equal to taking more than a million cars off the road each year... a second $2-billion fund will propel energy-saving public transit in Alberta.

....What types of projects would qualify for funding? The program will focus on initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions and the number of vehicles on Alberta roads. Some examples of eligible projects include:

• purchase of transit vehicles (hybrids, diesel, natural gas, fuel cells, etc.);
• transit systems that provide service to regional communities and reduce commuter traffic;
• Light Rail Transit (LRT) and inter-city commuter rail systems;
• new public transit projects such as LRT extensions;
• planning for and acquisition of transit or commuter rail corridors;
• park and ride facilities to enhance public transit;
• planning and design of transit-oriented developments in new residential areas;
• construction of regional transit terminals and facilities.

Is this funding a part of the federal Public Transit Trust Fund? This new funding is separate and in addition to the Public Transit Trust Fund established earlier this year by the federal government....

Australia - Free public transport gaining mindshare

Major cities in Australia have considered and re-considered free public transport. Polls continually show public support. The main opposition is that the systems are not comprehensive enough. But that is putting the cart before the horse. First, make it free. As ridership increases the political base will grow for investment in service expansion.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says the ACT Government might consider making bus travel free in Canberra...

abc.net:

[see also the new blog: Fare-Free Australia]

Fuel market skewed by subsidies

The carbon-auto industry is heavily subsidized. Many governments around the world keep transport fuel costs artificially low with subsidies. They could instead use that money to invest in free public transport. From the Economist.com:

HALF of the world's population enjoys fuel subsidies. This estimate, from Morgan Stanley, implies that almost a quarter of the world's petrol is sold at less than the market price. The cheapest petrol is in Venezuela, at 5 cents per litre.
...In theory, rising crude-oil prices should reduce global demand. But if domestic prices are capped, then emerging economies will continue to guzzle oil, pushing world prices still higher. Emerging economies accounted for more than the whole increase in world oil consumption last year—because demand in the rich economies fell. But recent price increases will make little difference to global consumption unless China and India follow suit.
....An IMF study of five emerging economies found that the richest 20% of households received, on average, 42% of total fuel subsidies; the bottom 20% received less than 10%....

Dubai - Free buses for six months

By Adel Arafah, Staff reporter KHALEEJ TIMES.ABU DHABI — The Transport Department of Abu Dhabi will launch free public bus service within the emirate today. Initially, 60 buses would ply on four major routes. (Photo - Ramesh Menon) team1dubai.

Rudd gets it, U.S. "environmentalists" not permitted

Public transit is the quickest and most effective way to reduce the energy waste and carbon emissions of the auto and sprawl. But in the U.S., the carbon-auto lobby is so powerful that even established "environmental" groups have to observe a blackout on serious discussion of mass public transportation. If you don't believe this, search their websites. Apparently the influence of the carbon-auto industry is not as strong in Australia -- This from the heraldsun.com:

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd has hinted at a new frontier for tackling climate change: a national overhaul of public transport.
The introduction of emissions trading is dominating the climate change debate, with a major report to be handed down by government adviser Ross Garnaut on Friday.
But Mr Rudd said he also had other fish to fry on global warming policy.
He said it was "time to act" on public transport, and signalled the federal government would get involved."
Ask yourself this question, how much do people waste each week sitting in unnecessary traffic queues?" he said."
And how much ... do they put into the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions because we have yet to evolve a large, long-term investment into urban public transport systems, with the national government playing its role as well?
"I think it is time to act."

[see also the new blog: Fare-Free Australia]