“Mass Transit Through the Eyes of a Conservative” by Geist

Mass Transit Through the Eyes of a Conservative

Rick Geist views mass transit as an economic generator and a people mover. The former in the sense that, no productive economy can survive without an effective mass transit system in place. In addition, the latter is in the light that a transit system serves to move students from home to school parents to work, and other commuters to their businesses.

The Transit Revitalization Investment District act (TRID) seeks to enhance advancement economically in places near public transportation. The government is helping by promoting the collaboration of related departments to reduce costs and to gather adequate funding for the projects.

This text affirms the importance of transportation to the economy. Which further causes the researcher to affirm that Mass transit is an essential source of revenue to any government.

Mass Transit: Bus Rapid Transit Shows Promise

Bus rapid transit includes improving commuters’ lives on the road by introducing efficiency in terms of speed and affordability. This is done by giving privileges to commuters who ride on buses on urban roadways. Some of the other features that are included in the program include giving buses traffic signal priority up to 10% more early and extending green light interval. The system of paying the fare and boarding the bus also improves accordingly. The number of stops is limited also for the same purpose and bus shelters are made to look different from standard bus stations and shelters. Technology tops it all by ensuring the buses stop accurately at bus stations and calculation of distances is faster. To reduce traffic congestion there are exclusive bus lanes just for the rapid transit buses.

According to the article, this system will help to lower costs if compared to the light rail system with the same level of performance. Its flexibility will cater to the needs of transportation in areas with intertwined network systems.

The New Starts Program is an entity by the government that funds new and innovative ideas. These projects have to meet certain criterion that apparently the bus rapid transit has not yet met. Another hindrance is that it is a new project and therefore not so well developed to warrant funding. Furthermore, the funds put aside are already too overstretched beyond capacity.

The future of the project also depends on how the public will respond considering a number of factors are in play: the costs that they will incur, the ridership, environmental implications, and their different individual preferences.

In relation to mass transit, the introduction of rapid bus transit will tremendously improve transportation in any state. It is flexible and will help reduce congestion in the central business districts this will, in turn, reduce pollution. Mass transit will no longer be as people know it.

Homeland Security. Pandemic Influenza

This article highlights the measures to take when planning for a potential catastrophic case of pandemic Influenza is an epidemic as a result of the influenza virus that spreads globally and infects a big fraction of humanity. It is directed at owners and those who operate in the sub-sector of the general transportation industry. They are a sort of guideline on what to do in a situation where they are faced with the unique difficulties that such a scenario would bring.

The information helps management-dealing with public transport to be informed and therefore put measures in place in case of emergency.

Transportation Security Administration: Office of Intelligence

The write-up is based on spotting threats to the Mass Transit system in the United States and the time in question is 2007-2008. Some of the aspects under scrutiny are the buses, the commuter rails that passengers use, and generally the facilities that aid the transit structure. According to the research, there are approximately 6,500 companies/organizations that deal in the provision of public transport in the United States of America and Canada.

The – highlighted threats help the many companies that ideal in public transport put measures in place to counter the threats peradventure they occur in future.

Florida Public Transportation: Anti-Terrorism Resource Guide

The above-cited document strives to provide information to the residents and agencies dealing in transit in Florida on the latest developments in security systems that will also shield them from a likelihood of terrorist attempts. Some of the provisions included in the document are as follows: Information concerning the different resources that the state possesses that could be beneficial to the agencies dealing in public transit. It also has text that would assist them to formulate effective plans and steps to take when the need arises. Finally, it gives a schedule of the training on fighting terrorism and even seminars to be held on the same.

Over the years there have been cases of terrorism in different states, this has led to more caution in all departments. Mass transit involves a lot of people in one place so it could be an easy target for any terrorist with malicious intent.

It Pays to Ride Public Transportation

The document sheds light on how commuters can be able to gain benefits that are tax-free from their employers. It goes on to explain that the federal tax code provides a range of packages that are in relation to benefits to be enjoyed by both the employers and employees. Some of the means by which these happens is by employers availing things like passes and vouchers or even a cash equivalent to employees to take care of their transport.

The above idea helps in making life easier and in a sense cheaper for the commuter. The researcher relates this to mass transportation and it translates to efficiency and improved standards of living if employees would actually care enough to go through with the system.

References

Geist, Rick. Mass Transit through the Eyes of a conservative. Cygnus interactive. 2005. Web.

General Accounting Office. Mass Transit: Bus Rapid Transit shows promise. 2001. Web.

Homeland security. Pandemic Influenza. 2008. Web.

Homeland Security. Transportation Security Administration: Office of intelligence. 2008. Web.

Kiplinger. “It pays to ride Public transportation.” Kiplinger’s Personal Financial Magazine 2009. Print.

National Center for Transit Research (NCTR). Florida Public Transportation: Anti-Terrorism Resource Guide n.d. 2010. Web.