Transit Ridership Numbers Up in Idaho

Transit Ridership Numbers Up in Idaho: "Boise, Idaho, 3/14/2012 — The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) released national transit ridership numbers this week indicating the second highest annual ridership since 1957.  In Idaho, ridership has increased consistently and averaged a jump of 9.3% from 2009 to 2011, as reported by the Idaho Transportation Department – Division of Transportation Performance.

Looking at 2011, Idaho’s 2.7% increase from 2010 is greater than the one year national average increase of 2.3%. “There is no doubt the need for public transit continues to grow,” said Heather Wheeler, CTAI Executive Director, “and as gas prices increase, ridership will rise even more.”"

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Chamber suggests summer trolleys - Whitefish Pilot: Whitefish Pilot: whitefish, chamber of commerce,

Chamber suggests summer trolleys - Whitefish Pilot: Whitefish Pilot: whitefish, chamber of commerce,: "Whitefish’s Chamber of Commerce is interested in exploring the idea of creating a summer transit loop similar to what the SNOW bus offers in the winter. The chamber presented the idea to city council March 5 during their annual joint work session.
The free public transit system would utilize two trolleys that make a one-hour loop around town, including stops at destination points such as Central Avenue, major residential areas and lodges. It was suggested a trolley could go to Big Mountain three or four times a day. The trolleys would run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m."

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Seattle Transit Riders Union

Our Mission | Transit Riders Union: "The Transit Riders Union is a democratic organization of working and poor people, taking control over our own lives, and building up the power we need to change society for the good of humanity and of the planet. We will fight to preserve, expand, and improve the public transportation system in Seattle and beyond, so that every human being has access to safe, affordable, and reliable public transit."

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Cops make fun of injured pedestrian

Jogger hit and injured by vehicle. Cops mock him and say he should "get a car."
Meanwhile Mother Nature quietly chuckles at the stupidity of humans.

"best family decision ever" -- going #carfree

Hillsboro family chooses car-free lifestyle, uses bicycles to get around | OregonLive.com: "Last January, the family sold its year-old Honda Odyssey minivan and set about traversing the metro area by bike. The move would save money, help the environment and improve everyone's health, the parents told their five kids, who range in age from 9 to 15.

A year after the family traded four wheels for 14, mom Anne Goldfeld calls it "the best family decision ever." With no thoughts or desires to have a car again, she said, "every day brings us in deeper connection with the planet." "

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Auto culture pecking all the feed out of the economy, and due to get worse as deferred-maintenance chickens come home to roost.

 $21 billion over the next ten years to help close a backlog of deferred maintenance on our state's roads, bridges and ferries. That's in addition to the 9.5 cent gas tax increase passed in 2005, which has already been fully committed and bonded out.

We Need More Public Transit

And Public Transit Needs Us

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 ~ Why public transit?

Riffing on Stuart Smalley: It's good enough, it's smart enough, and doggone it, people like it!

Americans, regardless of political affiliation, support public transit. Everyone who takes public transit contributes to decreased congestion, decreased carbon emissions, and decreased oil/gas use. It's funny to think otherwise. Public transit riders also save money.

Public transit revitalizes communities and leads to economic (re-)development. People choose public transit if given a level of service that represents something close to a comparable choice. Public funding of public transit makes sense, and smart political leadership just gets it done. Unfortunately, others still don't get it.

The demographics in America are changing. The outer ring suburbs are dying and not coming back; both empty-nest Boomers and younger Millennials want to live in livable, walkable cities well-served by public transit where they don't even need to own cars.

Why support pubic transit? It's really rather simple:



Public transit: good, smart, and people like it.

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Cross-posted to Chris B. Leyerle blog