In a major policy initiative, Nine Shift has announced a nationwide plan to fund trains and light rail.
“You don’t have to have insurance to board a
train,” a startled and exuberant Nine Shift co-author Wm. Draves discovered
when boarding an Amtrak train in Chicago recently.
“My family will save $1,000 a year on car insurance switching to trains,” Draves reported. “In fact, every American family will save from $500 to $1,000 a year in car insurance by taking trains.”
The $50 billion annual savings will basically fund trains and light rail for the rest of the century, Nine Shift is predicting.
According to a recently released Pew national study, the nation will save another $80 billion a year in lost productivity and expense due to auto traffic congestion.
During the transition period from cars to trains, Nine Shift proposes bond issues to be repaid by Gen X and Gen Y over the period of their work lives. “Which would your children rather pay off, a train debt that boosts productivity, time, and standard of living by 25%; or the leftover $3 trillion bill from the Iraq war inherited from their Boomer parents?” Draves asked.
In a response to the Nine Shift proposal, the entire U.S. leadership indicated it would rather see America decline and their children have a lower standard of living than give up gas guzzling world-ending auto deathmobiles.
First off, I have to say I really enjoy this blog. I don't agree with some of your ideas, but always appreciate your point of view. I'm a huge fan of commuter rail service. Unfortunately, the numbers don't add up for me. I'd save $1,000 on car insurance, but spend $2,520 on the yearly fare. Even adding in savings for gas and maintenance on the car I'd only be slightly ahead. I'd also not have the convenience of being able to travel when and where I want.
Also, on the point of bond issues, unfortunately it wouldn't be a matter of our kids choosing between funding trains or the Iraq war. With your proposal it would be both
Posted by: Erik | March 28, 2008 at 08:11 AM