[PRCo] Re: Port Authority

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

> > On Sat, 7 Jun 2008, Phillip Clark Campbell wrote:
> >
> > Thank You for this source of info on Mr.Cox Mr.Schneider.  I was aware 
> > of him I but never took the time to learn more; I just knew that transit 
> > advocates strongly disliked him didn't I.  While reading the article 
> > http://tinyurl.com/5f5hus I personally noted that he wanted maximum 
> > return for the buck re:transit didn't he.  Your reference to Cox says 
> > the same identical thing:  "Cox believes that the goal of public 
> > transportation systems should be to obtain maximum value for every 
> > dollar of taxes and fees expended..."  It goes on to say:  "He calls 
> > public transportation a welfare service that does a "good job of getting 
> > people downtown and serving the low-income poor moving around the core, 
> > but it can't do any more than that"."  Comments like this can be found 
> > in the list archives here can't they.
>
>
>
> From: Derrick J Brashear <shadow at dementia.org>
> 
> He proposes to buy everyone a car. He doesn't propose where the fuel 
> should come from, or how to make blind, old or young people magically able 
> to drive.
> 
> He's a one trick pony though. No new argument which addresses this stuff 
> has been forthcoming.
> 
> I stand by my "worthless" comment.

I didn't see that did I but I did see where he makes the 'observation' -- not the proposal  --  that it would be possible to buy everyone a luxury car and have money left over from the cost of rail transit, assuming that is new construction.  This is called the Jaguar-Principle or some such isn't it.

Where is the electricity coming from to power rail, assuming it is electricity?  I don't know the number of hydro plants but seems coal / oil / natural gas plants outnumber hydro don't they.

Mr.Cox makes a point where it is often necessary to travel near or into a downtown and transfer to travel outbound to a destination; crosstown transit is often rather sparse.

How many of 'us' really 'use' transit for the majority of our travels?  Most of us have at least one car; families often have 2 or more cars don't we.

Mr.Schneider sent an interesting email about possibilities for the future; if oil continues its upward spiral then definite changes need to be made.  Oil is finite is it.  Mortgage crisis, high oil prices - effect could be self-imposed WW2 type restrictions on travel and lifestyles couldn't it.  I don't know what the future holds  --  what goes up can also fall of its own weight can't it.  As has been said - we are entering uncharted waters.


Phil