$1,975 / year tax for #autosprawl, we could have #freetransit for $250

citylab : "The 2014 column shows existing fees, which total $1,975 a year for the average household. (Again, these are averages; individual household payments will vary widely.) The 2016-2017 column shows what the fees will be when some new legislation kicks in (such as the Move Seattle plan that passed earlier this month), and assuming another measure set for next fall also gets approved. These amount to $2,762 a year, a 40 percent rise over current spending."

US people want #publictransit, US Congress does not

Letter: Congress should be all in on public transit | The Salt Lake Tribune: "Congress needs to make public transit the priority it should be by passing a long-term transportation bill with increased investment in public transit. And they should do it this year, while there is still time. Our economy, environment and quality of life are all at stake. Voters are watching what they do on this important issue. I hope our members of Congress have the courage to set us on a better course when it comes to transportation in America.

Greg Hogan

Salt Lake City

"

Need for expanded bus service in Salem is "undeniable"

The Lund Report: "The editors called the absence of weekend service in the state capital "reprehensible" and the need "undeniable." Beyond the tri-county Portland metro area, Eugene, Bend, Corvallis, Albany, even Tillamook and Newport all have weekend bus service -- but not Salem."

Workers can't afford TOD housing

King County just bought 286 apartments near public transit to keep them affordable - Puget Sound Business Journal: "“As rents in the region continue to rise, lower- and moderate-wage working families are increasingly being priced out of housing with easy access to mass transit," said Stephen Norman, executive director of the housing authority. "Purchasing existing housing along emerging transit corridors is the most cost-effective way of ensuring that these families have continued access to light rail, providing connections to healthcare, education and employment opportunities, and reduced commuting costs.""

TOD sounds good, but is not a solution. The solution is to stop subsidizing cars. Make buses free, and with the savings on externalities, there will be plenty of money to provide housing.

Want a change in driving habits in Seattle? Make buses fare-free

GeekWire: "“We’re geographically constrained in terms of auto capacity we can add to the network,” Seattle Transportation Director Scott Kubly told Next City. “If we’re going to continue to grow, we need to use our streets more efficiently.”"

Fare-free system reduces boarding time

news.hjnews.com: "One factor that frequently came up was the concept of "dwell time," or how long it takes for a single passenger to board successfully. During her presentation, Rhine showed a short video featuring footage of a bus with a fare system and one without. The dwell time was significantly longer for the fare system — over 40 seconds, four passengers entered the fare bus compared with 15 entering under fare-free. The research showed that introducing a fare increases dwell time by 1.5 seconds per passenger."

Supply-side protest will fail

Occupy.com: "U.S. Coast Guard detained two dozen protesters who formed a blockade with kayaks and other vessels Monday to try to stop Royal Dutch Shell's drill rig as it left Seattle on its way to explore for oil in the Arctic Ocean."

The fossil-fuel industry is happy to see activist time and energy wasted on supply-side protest. These protests will fail. Demand drives the economy, not supply. As long as there are millions believing in the promise of car-dependent sprawl living, the fossil-fuel industry will win all battles and the war. 

Cars too expensive in time and money

MyNorthwest.com: "While it might be convenient to have that sedan waiting for you in the driveway, the frequent trips to the gas station, mechanic's shop, car wash and DMV are anything but. Add to that the hours per week you spend sitting in rush-hour traffic and you might be surprised at how much time you're wasting on that "convenient" car.

And then there are the expenses. You already knew what you'd be paying each month when you signed that five-year auto loan, but that's just where your vehicle expenses start. Add to that the costs of gas, insurance, registration, tires, oil changes and general maintenance and you've got a much larger figure. According to Consumer Reports, the true cost to own an average car is more than $9,000 per year for the first five years."

Portland parents launch national Vision Zero PAC to push 'traffic violence apologists' out of office

BikePortland.org: "“When we moved back to Portland two years ago, we were excited to ditch our cars and raise our family primarily using human powered transportation,” Subach, who also volunteers as social media coordinator for the local group Better Block PDX, wrote in an email Monday. “We discovered that Portland is selling a package of goods that it can’t deliver. People continue to get hurt and killed crossing streets. Parents who bike their kids to elementary school have to seek out support from other people driving cars and riding bikes so that they don’t get aggressively passed riding on the Clinton neighborhood greenway. We ride our bikes with our daughter to and from school on the Going Street neighborhood greenway, and every single time we are out there a car runs a stop sign, or blasts down the street, because Portland politicians don’t have the will to make the streets safe for all users.”"

UTA want a Sale Tax Increase, well give us FREE PUBLIC TRANSIT

Catmeow Public Transit Tammi Diaz Thoughts: "UTA want a Sales Tax Increase, Well give us FREE PUBLIC TRANSIT. TAXPAYERS are not made of $$MONEY$$."

Seattle is planning to replace parking spots with bus passes

CityMetric: "37 per cent of the parking in recently-built apartments was empty. It also estimated that those empty spaces were adding around $250 a month to the cost of renting an apartment, since parking spaces in the city can cost between $20,000 and $50,000 to build. 

So the city government is thinking of going a step further. A bill presented by the city's departments of transport, development and planning to the city council last week proposes that developers should issue residents with transit passes or membership of car sharing schemes, in place of parking spots. "

Transit free during May to older riders

Wallowa County Chieftain: "Public Transit operations in Wallowa, Union and Baker counties announced they will provide free rides for people age 60 and over to and from meals at the Enterprise, Wallowa, La Grande and Baker City dining centers during the month of May."

Public wants more, not less, #publictransit

Spokesman.com: "Prop 1 is about responding to the public and ensuring accountability. Residents of Spokane County have continually called for more, not less transit service. This ballot measure is the result of three years of public input into a 10-year plan that invests in over 25 projects across the county to expand service by 25 percent."

MISSOULIAN EDITORIAL: Missoula rallies for public transportation

missoulian.com: " As ridership increases, so does the need to provide stable, long-term funding for transportation infrastructure.

This is true for Mountain Line as well, which relies on federal funding for transportation infrastructure in addition to community support in order to offer innovative new options like zero-fare service. The three-year demonstration project was boosted with $460,000 in sponsorships from 14 different community partners, including the Missoulian. Additionally, Mountain Line added 15-minute BOLT! service to one of its routes, and began offering service late into the evening."



'via Blog this'

BYU-I students call for public transportation

News - Home: ""Mainly through student polling we found that fifty percent of students are pro-public transit," said Wagner. "They wish that there was a more viable public transit option here in Rexburg."

Wagner said students are forced to walk hours on end just to get to stores like Walmart. He also said traffic and parking can get far too congested around campus.

"Most of the people that go to school here still don't have cars," said Wagner. "A lot do, as you can see there's cars everywhere and the community complains enough about them you'd think they'd have the propel to do something about it.""

A victim of the automobile culture shows courage and sets an example for us

I am so thankful to be alive.It has been nearly 20 years since my accident. As my anniversary approaches. I would like to express my sincere thanks to my family and   friends for all of their love and support throughout my journey. I have been blessed beyond measure.

On January 27, 1995, I was crossing the street and was struck by a car on 3300 South 300 East, with result in a traumatic brain injury and pelvic fracture. It was a real challenge to relearn how to feed myself, dress myself, and walk without assistance. I was in the hospital for five weeks and underwent speech and physical for six months. I had to retain my brain to perform simple tasks such as word puzzles, sew, needlepoint with plastic canvas and many other things. 

It still find it hard to believe that I am now "disabled" person. For about a year, I was extremely depressed. All I would do was eat and sleep, and I gained 70 pounds.When I was having a good day I would have tendency to overexert and make myself ill for days, like having a bad dose of the flu.

Life is more challenging now, and I cannot do as much I used to do. I have learned to pace myself. There are times when I still overdo it and end up sick the next day. But instead of staying in bed, I get up shower and dive into one of my hobbies, which has proved to be very therapeutic. Over ime, my hobbies have helped me improve my motor skills and speed, even reduce the amount of medication I take.

In celebration I am rebuilding my life. I join VASA Fitness to get back into shape and have already lost 25 pounds. I am taking computer classes and learning how to start my own business, Tammi's Custom Jewelry & Gifts through Vocational Rehabilitation. I am spending more time with my lovely granddaughter and friends.

I am no longer angry. I do not blame God or feel sorry for myself. I try to stay positive. A person's life doesn't have to end just because they're disabled. I have grown to appreciate life more, especially the small things. You see, things happen for a reason, and I will try to make the most of the hand I'm dealt. "There but for the grace of God,go I." Life is a gift.

Thank You!

Tammi Diaz

(editor's note: Tammi is a free-transit activist in Utah)

Public transit system needs to change before riders commit to using public transportation

Deseret News: "The problem is that I, and thousands like me, are forced to have a car because of poor public transportation service."