Conservatives and mass transit: is it time for a new look?
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Conservatives and mass transit: is it time for a new look?

Filetype[PDF-83.82 KB]


English
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  • Creators:
  • Corporate Contributors:
    Free Congress Research and Education Foundation
  • Subject/TRT Terms:
  • DOI:
  • Resource Type:
    Research Paper
  • Geographical Coverage:
    United States
  • TRIS Online Accession Number:
    00723632
  • Corporate Publisher:
    American Public Transportation Association
  • NTL Classification:
    NTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION;NTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Transit Planning and Policy;NTL-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION-Social Impacts;NTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-Funding;NTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-Travel Demand;NTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-Public Participation and Outreach;NTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-Congestion;NTL-OPERATIONS AND TRAFFIC CONTROLS-Traffic Flow;
  • Abstract:
    Traditionally, mass transit has not been of much interest to conservatives. Their disinterest stems from three perceptions: mass transit is a government creation; no conservative constituencies use mass transit; and mass transit does not serve any important conservative goals. Each of these perceptions has some reasons behind it, and each is true in some situations. But all are also open to question, on conservative grounds. The dominance of the automobile is not free-market outcome, but the result of massive government intervention on behalf of the automobile. That intervention came at the expense of privately owned, privately funded, tax paying public transit systems. As high quality commuter rail, light rail and busway systems reach out into suburbia, they carry a growing number of people whose demographics indicate they vote conservative. Mass transit can serve some important conservative goals, including economic development, moving people off welfare and into productive employment, and strengthening feelings of community. The quality of transit strongly affects its ability to serve conservative goals. These factors suggest there are reasons for conservatives to take an interest in transit policy. At the same time, there are equally valid reasons for transit authorities and advocates to listen to conservatives' ideas about transit. Government subsidy has resulted in inefficiencies in transit operations, and conservative ideas such as regulatory reform and public-private partnerships have the potential to provide better transit at less cost to the taxpayer. It is time for an informed dialogue between conservatives and transit authorities and advocates. Each can learn from such a dialogue, and together they may find ways to provide better transit service that is also more efficient. This study of mass transit by the Free Congress Foundation was underwritten by the private sector Associate Members of the American Public Transit Association. 24p.
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