Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Bus Stops

More good stuff from Good. This is from a pseudo-map depicting cuts in the budgets of transit systems around the US since the economy started to do its frog-in-a-blender routine.



Good has this tendency to publish these graphics that are really impressive looking, and are awesome from a design perspective, but on closer inspection actually contain less information that it seems like they do. This, for instance, looks like it's trying to tell us about the relative scale of cutbacks at transit systems around the country, and maybe even the division of those cuts between job losses, service cuts, and fare hikes. Turns out, though, the only comparative data represented here is the relative size of the 15 largest transit systems where any sort of cuts have been made (though that's still sort of interesting). It doesn't tell us anything about the size of the cuts in either absolute or relative terms. Looks cool, though.

Says Good:
Last year, Americans took more than 10 billion rides on public transportation, the highest level in more than 50 years. But despite the increases, public transit systems are being forced to cut back service, risking losing many of the riders they gained due to high gas prices and a bad economy. In New York, for example, the Metropolitan Transit Authority is moving forward with plans to drastically raise fares and totally eliminate some subway and bus lines.
This is annoying - literally, in that it will make it less convenient and more expensive for people to get around; but also because the middle of a recession is the worst possible time to make such cuts. Firing people who work in these transit systems obviously raises unemployment, which makes the recession worse; cutting service harms people who - perhaps unable to afford to drive a car - are newly dependent on transit; and raising fares hurts people just at the moment when every penny counts the most for them. To a point, it's unavoidable; state and local revenues go way down during a recession, so they end up making cuts in lots of areas, including transportation. On the other hand, I vaguely recall a big to-do not long ago about the federal government spending a not inconsiderable amount of cash to try and stimulate the economy. Seems they could have found the funds in there somewhere to at least bridge the lost revenue gap and keep cities from having to cut services; and it seems like the sums that would be required to keep the buses running in Atlanta, say, would have been pretty paltry on the scale of a $700,000,000,000 bill. But local mass transit (unlike alternative energy and high-speed rail) ended up getting left out of the stimulus for the most part. Guess people who ride subways and buses weren't considered "shovel-ready."

Transportation for America, by the way, has its own map of transit cuts around the US. According to them, "every $1 billion invested in public transit operations generates 60,000 jobs." That would mean $100 billion would save 6 million jobs - well ahead of the pace Obama tried to set by saving 3.5 million jobs with $800 billion. Some sort of law of diminishing returns undoubtedly applies, so it probably wouldn't be possible to save 6 million jobs in mass transit. Still, it has to be one of the more efficient uses of government money available.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am thoroughly convinced in this said post. I am currently searching for ways in which I could enhance my knowledge in this said topic you have posted here. It does help me a lot knowing that you have shared this information here freely. I love the way the people here interact and shared their opinions too. I would love to track your future posts pertaining to the said topic we are able to read.penis enlargement

Bot and me said...

Thanks for the post. I liked it. Keep going I follow you.
Money Talks| Super Bowl Commercials 2012

hcg said...

I really like your writing. Thanks so much, finally a decent website with good information in it.

albumfoto said...

I think people fear idea management and innovation because there's a significant number of ideas that simply won't plan out.......Nice statement.....keep posting

asuransi pendidikan said...

this day I've been searching for information on various issues, this I found very good and I would like to congratulate you for your work.

design interior jakarta said...

I think that this post is one of the best that i have read in my life, congrats you did a great job,.

perusahan security said...

the difference between the content spammers and most corporate innovators is that the smaller

jual wine said...

I'm writing to you because I just came across a business that I think has great potential. It lets you save money on almost everything. Make money from almost everything,

coklat valentine said...

If growth is important to a firm, and if growth is dependent on offering existing products and services to new customers

belajar internet marketing said...

innovation is very natural and happens in the "real world" as new plants and animals colonize new ecological niches.

kuliner bandung said...

I wonder how you got so good. This is really a fascinating blog, lots of stuff that I can get into. One thing I just want to say is that your Blog is so perfect

konsultan perusahaan said...

We generally think most specifically about the risk associated with a new product introduction

how to stay erect said...

I would be aware that as somebody who really doesn’t comment to blogs a lot (in actual fact, this may be my first put up), I don’t think the time period “lurker” is very flattering to a non-posting reader.

Mary said...

Hey, Really great work, I would like to join your blog anyway so please continue sharing with us,

outdoor bean bag said...

I hate bus stops. Especially when I'm alone, I don't like waiting there. It's so creepy and unsafe.

obat herbal said...

GOOD ARTICLE,
Menghilangkan Kutil pada Kemaluan Pria
Cara Menghilangkan Kutil pada Kemaluan Pria
Menghilangkan Benjolan Kutil pada Kemaluan Pria
Tips Menghilangkan Kutil pada Kemaluan Pria
Solusi Menghilangkan Kutil pada Kemaluan Pria

Anonymous said...

good
Jual Obat ampuh Ambeien untuk Ibu Menyusui
Obat Ambeien untuk Ibu Menyusui
Jual Obat alami Ambeien untuk Ibu Menyusui
Jual Obat tradisional Ambeien untuk Ibu Menyusui
Penjual Obat Ambeien Ibu Menyusui
Obat Ambeien untuk Ibu Menyusui
Obat Ambeyen Ibu Menyusui
Penjual Obat Ambeien untuk Ibu yang Menyusui
Obat Ambeien Stadium 4
Obat Ambeien Stadium 1
Obat Ambeien Stadium 2
Pengobatan Ambeien Stadium 4 untuk Ibu Menyusui
Pengobatan Ambeien Parah untuk Ibu Menyusui
Obat Ambeien untuk Ibu Menyusui
Obat Ambeyen untuk Ibu Menyusui
Obat Ambeien Parah untuk Ibu yang Menyusui
mengobati kemaluan yg bernanah
mengobati kelamin bernanah
mengobati penyakit kemaluan bernanah
mengobati kemaluan yang bernanah
Mengobati Kelamin Pria Bernanah
obat Kemaluan Pria Bernanah
obat Kelamin Pria Bernanah
Mengobati penyakit Kemaluan Pria Bernanah
Mengobati Kemaluan Bernanah
Mengobati Kelamin Wanita Bernanah
obat Kemaluan Wanita Bernanah
Mengobati penyakit Kemaluan Wanita Bernanah
Cara Mengobati penyakit Kemaluan Bernanah
Mengobati Kemaluan Bernanah
Cara Mengobati Kelamin Bernanah
Cara Mengobati sakit Kemaluan Bernanah
Mengobati Kemaluan Bernanah Wanita
Mengobati Kemaluan Bernanah
Mengobati Kelamin Bernanah
Mengobati penyakit Kemaluan Bernanah Pada Wanita

Anonymous said...

good
Obat Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria
Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria Wanita
Pengobatan Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria
Obat Alami Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria
Pengobatan Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria
Obat Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Wanita
Obat Alami Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria
Obat Ampuh Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria
Penyebab Kelamin Sakit dan Bernanah
Penyebab Kemaluan Sakit Bernanah
Penyebab Kemaluan Bernanah
Penyebab Kemaluan Sakit yang Bernanah
Obat Kelamin Sakit dan Bernanah
Obat Kemaluan Sakit Yang Bernanah
Obat Alami Kemaluan Sakit dan Bernanah
Obat Herbal Kemaluan Sakit dan Bernanah
kemaluan sakit bernanah
obat kemaluan sakit dan bernanah
pengobatan kemaluan sakit bernanah
kenapa kemaluan sakit dan bernanah
Mengobati Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan
Mengobati Keluar Nanah di Kemaluan Pria
Mengobati Keluar Nanah Kemaluan Pria
Mengobati Keluar Nanah dari Kemaluan Pria Wanita

seks toys pria wanita said...

old information but still very interesting for see, I am quite happy with what I have read here. tenks.
go.