Transit for Livable Communities blog links to a report by Transportation for America that surveys the nationwide "Impact of the Financial Crisis on Public Transportation."
The report notes that the price of a monthly bus pass for the public transit system serving the city of Marshall and Lyon, Redwood and Jackson counties has jumped from $25 to $80 per month. The price bump is just one consequence of the cascade of spending shifts as state funding for local services diminishes — through unallotment and budget cuts and, in the case of transit, through a decline in dedicated funding streams such as state sales taxes on motor vehicles.
Especially in urban areas, there are two types of transit riders — those who ride by choice and those who are transit-dependent. Bus service cuts and fare increases may drive the "choice" users back to their cars, but for the households without a vehicle (see chart) their options shrink. In rural areas, where transit may be their only link to employment, medical care or other services, the impact of underfunding goes far beyond "transportation."
The post by TLC's Katie Eukel underlines some of this local impact, quoting the director of the non-profit that runs the Marshall system.
“Transportation services are not a luxury for people living in rural areas — they are a necessity," says Jeanette Porter, Transit Director with Western Community Action. "When transit providers are forced to shift so much of the financial burden onto our passengers, or agencies helping their clients, it creates a devastating cycle that is already beginning to take effect... Often people must move to a larger area where more options are available. This not only affects those who depend on public transportation, but the economic and social vitality of their communities, as well.”
It's a point we made in a recent editorial, but it bears repeating again and again as the state tries to set budget priorities. Transit service cuts and fare increases may make sense if you’re looking for ways to affect a budget line item. But they're a poor bargain if you’re looking at the actual people and communities affected.
— Charlie Quimby
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