Public Transportation and Smart Growth

marmar

(78,462 posts) Wed Apr 30, 2025, 08:58 AM Apr 30

A $6 Billion Shortfall Has US Mass Transit Facing a Death Spiral

(Bloomberg) -- When Covid-19 broke the US economy, the trains and buses that carried millions of Americans to work every day emptied out. A $70 billion lifeline from the federal government kept them going — a bet that someday they would again be packed with commuters.

Five years later, that day has come. Workers and tourists are back on the rails and roads. Throngs of straphangers stand shoulder-to-shoulder on the subway. Finding a seat on a crowded rush-hour express train feels like a small victory. For transportation systems from New York to Chicago to San Francisco, it should be a moment to exhale. Faced with extinction, they survived.

Yet there has been no time for celebration.

No longer flush with emergency aid, the biggest systems are facing a combined $6 billion shortfall for years to come, according to an analysis by Bloomberg News. While ridership across the country has improved, it hasn’t yet returned to its pre-Covid peak. ............(more)

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/6-billion-shortfall-us-mass-210010651.html

4 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

A $6 Billion Shortfall Has US Mass Transit Facing a Death Spiral (Original Post) marmar Apr 30 OP

It is happening here in Philly JBTaurus83 Apr 30 #1

but we need more bombs, rifles, jets, etc. CurtEastPoint Apr 30 #2

No, we need more tax cuts and taxpayer-handouts to the Vogon_Glory Apr 30 #3

And we have fare-free buses for everyone unc70 Apr 30 #4

JBTaurus83

(351 posts)

1. It is happening here in Philly

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Wed Apr 30, 2025, 09:10 AM

Apr 30

Governor Shapiro is working to get us some aid, but, the region, city tax payers are going to need to step up. The demented pig is not going to help. We are going to have about a 30% fare increase. Many of these systems are also plagued with a huge percentage of riders who illegally jump the turnstyles and such to avoid fares. I've long thought this needs to be cracked down on.

CurtEastPoint

(19,429 posts)

2. but we need more bombs, rifles, jets, etc.

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Wed Apr 30, 2025, 09:12 AM

Apr 30

Vogon_Glory

(9,817 posts)

3. No, we need more tax cuts and taxpayer-handouts to the

Reply to CurtEastPoint (Reply #2)

Wed Apr 30, 2025, 10:01 AM

Apr 30

billionaire class. THAT’s what’s important.

unc70

(6,396 posts)

4. And we have fare-free buses for everyone

Reply to marmar (Original post)

Wed Apr 30, 2025, 11:05 AM

Apr 30

Free for everyone to ride nearly all the buses in this area. Ridership jumps. Admin costs drop. Routes run quicker without drivers checking everyone for payments. Many secondary benefits.

Given the low percentages that fares pay towards operation in most bus systems, free fare might even cost less.

Reply to this discussion