Mass Transportation: The Need to Increase and Improve Individualized Mass Transit (Part 1)
Mass Transportation: The Need to Increase and Improve Individualized Mass Transit
Part 1
Currently, in the United States, we need not only to improve mass transit but to create new forms. The focus should be on efficiency, time, convenience, and safety in the eyes of the consumer. Time is very valuable whether it is the time to go from place to place, the time with our families, or the time to do our jobs and partake in hobbies. Unfortunately, time seems to be disappearing from our individual’s schedule. How do we give people back more of their time as it relates to their commute and travel time while making sure they are also safe?
Why We Need to Improve Mass Transit
Today, we face many problems in meeting our current and future transportation needs. First, the price of fueling our transportation system continues to rise with the cost of oil. Just last week, for the first time ever, the cost of oil rose above $50 per barrel increasing the cost of the commute for every consumer and the cost of transporting goods. “Optimist” experts predict oil production to peak by 2035, then drop as demand continues to increase, causing oil prices to shoot from the $40 to $50 a barrel consumers have become used to to $80 or $90 a barrel (Roberts).
Second, traffic congestion plagues our cities as numerous cities from New York to Detroit to Denver to the state of Mississippi are looking for cheaper ways to improve transit in their cities. Expanding highways seems to be too cumbersome, too expensive, and too inefficient. “In many metropolitan areas, the congestion index has grown by one-third over the last decade” while the rail system, carriers of 30% of the volume of goods (same as trucks), has also experienced major bottlenecks (Tuttle 47). By 2040, congestion is predicted to increase as the number of private autos/light trucks rises by 40%, from 200 million to over 280 million vehicles. At the same time, the need for large freight trucks is expected to triple, going from 7 million to 21 million (Tuttle 49). “If the nation does not triple transportation capacity in the next 40 years, [it is predicted] that the economy will not grow 2 to 4% annually and incomes will not grow as expected” (Tuttle 51). Productivity growth resulting from the boom in information technology “will be blocked by a crippled and congested infrastructure” (Tuttle 51). The benefits of Just In Time production will be lessened as it will take longer to move goods from point-to-point and the increased cost of logistics will result in an increase in prices for consumers.
Third, the human element of the highway system fosters an unsafe environment despite improvements in the last 30 years. In the United States, over 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2002 and over 2.3 million were injured (UN Tackles Roadway Safety). Worldwide, motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among those ages 5 to 29 and the third leading cause of death among those ages 30 to 44 (UN Tackles Roadway Safety). The burden hits financially also as the U. S. lost over $240 Billion worth of economic productivity in 2002 (UN Tackles Roadway Safety). In comparison, the U.S. government has only spent $218 billion over the last six years on highway construction and improvements with future plans calling for somewhere around $300 billion (Abrams). However, even the $300 billion plan is not nearly enough to meet the transportation demands of the future, at least under the current system.
Finally, Americans are busier than ever. Both parents are working more, leaving less time to cook a healthy meal, watch a child’s soccer game, help with homework, or prepare themselves for a more technologically sound society. Therefore, we must invent a way to better serve consumers, whether it is industry or the average commuter. This means we must develop a safe, efficient, stable, and predictable means of transit for the long term, not just tomorrow or next year or the next 20 years, but beyond.
Part 2 to follow = How to Improve Mass Transit
Part 1
Currently, in the United States, we need not only to improve mass transit but to create new forms. The focus should be on efficiency, time, convenience, and safety in the eyes of the consumer. Time is very valuable whether it is the time to go from place to place, the time with our families, or the time to do our jobs and partake in hobbies. Unfortunately, time seems to be disappearing from our individual’s schedule. How do we give people back more of their time as it relates to their commute and travel time while making sure they are also safe?
Why We Need to Improve Mass Transit
Today, we face many problems in meeting our current and future transportation needs. First, the price of fueling our transportation system continues to rise with the cost of oil. Just last week, for the first time ever, the cost of oil rose above $50 per barrel increasing the cost of the commute for every consumer and the cost of transporting goods. “Optimist” experts predict oil production to peak by 2035, then drop as demand continues to increase, causing oil prices to shoot from the $40 to $50 a barrel consumers have become used to to $80 or $90 a barrel (Roberts).
Second, traffic congestion plagues our cities as numerous cities from New York to Detroit to Denver to the state of Mississippi are looking for cheaper ways to improve transit in their cities. Expanding highways seems to be too cumbersome, too expensive, and too inefficient. “In many metropolitan areas, the congestion index has grown by one-third over the last decade” while the rail system, carriers of 30% of the volume of goods (same as trucks), has also experienced major bottlenecks (Tuttle 47). By 2040, congestion is predicted to increase as the number of private autos/light trucks rises by 40%, from 200 million to over 280 million vehicles. At the same time, the need for large freight trucks is expected to triple, going from 7 million to 21 million (Tuttle 49). “If the nation does not triple transportation capacity in the next 40 years, [it is predicted] that the economy will not grow 2 to 4% annually and incomes will not grow as expected” (Tuttle 51). Productivity growth resulting from the boom in information technology “will be blocked by a crippled and congested infrastructure” (Tuttle 51). The benefits of Just In Time production will be lessened as it will take longer to move goods from point-to-point and the increased cost of logistics will result in an increase in prices for consumers.
Third, the human element of the highway system fosters an unsafe environment despite improvements in the last 30 years. In the United States, over 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2002 and over 2.3 million were injured (UN Tackles Roadway Safety). Worldwide, motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death among those ages 5 to 29 and the third leading cause of death among those ages 30 to 44 (UN Tackles Roadway Safety). The burden hits financially also as the U. S. lost over $240 Billion worth of economic productivity in 2002 (UN Tackles Roadway Safety). In comparison, the U.S. government has only spent $218 billion over the last six years on highway construction and improvements with future plans calling for somewhere around $300 billion (Abrams). However, even the $300 billion plan is not nearly enough to meet the transportation demands of the future, at least under the current system.
Finally, Americans are busier than ever. Both parents are working more, leaving less time to cook a healthy meal, watch a child’s soccer game, help with homework, or prepare themselves for a more technologically sound society. Therefore, we must invent a way to better serve consumers, whether it is industry or the average commuter. This means we must develop a safe, efficient, stable, and predictable means of transit for the long term, not just tomorrow or next year or the next 20 years, but beyond.
Part 2 to follow = How to Improve Mass Transit
posted by mrholmes | 9:05 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home