Transportation: A bit of history

Transportation: A bit of history in Washington State.

Light rail has become the nation’s big answer to urban transit. However, given the rapid advances in technology it will be a big questionable expense.

Here are some of the laws on transportation. I've been reading through them and have made a note beside two of them. Certainly someone with more skill at reading legalize than me needs to take on that chore.
35.58.240
35.58.250 Repeal or reform to allow for competition
36.57A.100 Repeal or reform to allow for competition
36.57A.090
81.68.015
81.68.020
81.68.040
Here's some information on what has been called the best transit system worldwide a couple of time. We can't build it but it gives you an idea what can be done and it is made up of 16 private companies and possibly a bit more from time to time. http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/fellows/brazil1203/transportation.html

Seattle history "The February 6th 1915 issue of the Electric Railway Journal reported that 518 Seattle jitney buses “are carrying 49,000 passengers daily…”
This piece below is from an older brochure I wrote up a few years ago. It is a bit out of date but the idea is still good.

“The Libertarian Party supports a free and open market in urban transportation services.
A Brief History: The transit industry is one of the most heavily regulated in the nation. In many cities it is almost impossible for you to own a transportation business because of the rules. The first major laws were passed to keep the jitneys from competing with the streetcars when jitney began to appear on the streets about 1915. Streetcars had been in decline for a number of years when in 1935 Congress passed the Public Utilities Holding Act that required the streetcar companies to be sold off from the electric companies that owned them. This led to the collapse of the streetcar business. In 1964 Congress passed the laws that spurred the development of government owned local transit companies

Transportation Alternatives: In 1986 London, England began to contract out their transit. By 1999 about 30 companies were providing bus transit in London. Services improved, costs were reduced significantly and ridership increased. Helsinki, Finland: Fourteen private companies now operate much of the region’s bus service through competitive bidding. A 30 % reduction in operating costs and a saving in subsidies has been achieved. Fares have been reduced by 12 % and services expanded. Stockholm, Sweden: In 1993 Stockholm began using private contractors to run their bus and rail system. Savings of nearly $150 million annually and reduced subsidies have been two improvements along with increased farebox revenue and more riders. Approximately 70% of the regions bus service has been contracted out. Copenhagen, Denmark: Similar results have been seen in Copenhagen where contracting out has been mandated by the Danish parliament. Source: http://www.apta.com/services/intnatl/intfocus/scandin.cfm Curitiba, Brazil: This transit system has been called one of the world’s best systems. With neighborhood circulators, intermediate services and express buses, all color coded, run by 16 private companies and overseen by a government agency this unsubsidized system is being copied by cities in other countries. With approximately 75% of the region’s 2.3 million daily commuters using the system Curitiba sets an example of what can be done to build a modern effective service for a fraction of the cost when there is a willingness to innovate. Source: http://www.worldbank.org/transport/urbtrans/pub_tr/curitiba_summary.pdf
The Jitneys in America: What’s a Jitney? First seen on the streets of Los Angeles about 1915 when automobiles began to appear, these privately owned vehicles competed with the streetcars for passengers. More flexible than streetcars and often operated part-time by drivers on their way to work they threatened the streetcars’ very existence. By the mid 1920s they had been outlawed in most American cities. The streetcar companies used their influence to kill off this emerging business. Today jitneys exist in only a few cites. The Atlantic City, New Jersey, jitney business is the oldest privately operated, unsubsidized transit operation in America. With 180 thirteen passenger vehicles running 24 hours a day 365 days a year and fares comparable to any bus system they offer riders a quality of service seldom seen anywhere.

Who Benefits from expanding transit services by opening the marketplace?
“Almost half those without an automobile are persons 65 years or older, and of these, 81% are women.”
“...23% of full-time working mothers and almost 60% of part-time working mothers have non-traditional work hours. This reduces women’s ability to join carpools or find appropriately-scheduled transit options.”
“...nearly 40% of central city African-American households were without access to an automobile, compared to fewer than one of out five white central city households.” Source: Using Public Transportation to Reduce the Economic, Social, and Human Costs of personal Immobility National Academy Press
In the 1930 the average family spent about 8% of family income on transit. In recent years the costs have climbed dramatically.

While ride sharing apps have benefitted many people not much has been done to help low income people improve their situation. Simply opening the marketplace may be the best way to help the poor and give them opportunities to start new businesses while helping others.”