Priority Spending and Mass Transit

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, advocates for public transportation have questioned the Bush administrations' priorities in federal budget allocation for highways, increased automobile fuel efficiency, and research into ethanol based fuel rather than what appears to be an obvious alternative: public transportation.

The article points out some very interesting factors which make this debate all the more convincing on behalf of those who see the future of ridding the country's dependency on the automobile (and all its associated costs) in public transit. Though most Americans enjoy the extended individuality and independence offered by automobiles, trends have shown increases in use of public transportation and decreases in the demand for gasoline. This, alongside the other benefits offered through mass transit, should indicate to those in Washington that perhaps the public doesn't desire more funding for highways, but more efficient and accessible means for public transit.

Statistics demonstrate the environmental benefits that public transportation offers over automobile use. According to the article, in 2006 public transportation cut the annual use of gasoline by 3.4 billion gallons and thus reduced emissions responsible for global warming by 26 million tons¹. However, this statistic alone may prove difficult in convincing Congress or state legislatures in allocating more funding towards public transportation. The best means for appealing at the highest level is to know where the constituency stands, and in America this is rested in public opinion. The public may be fickle in what it thinks is in its own best interest, though it can always be counted on to try and act in ways in which it maximizes its own rewards. The obvious move for public transportation advocates is to find the appropriate means for demonstrating the overall utility offered in lieu of the apparent shortcomings.