Out of Control

Everyone will, if transit advocates would actually get their way. A recent study from the University of South Florida for the Florida DOT estimated what it would take to shift households from cars to public transit.

Households would save about $3,500 on average if they gave up their car and hoofed it on public transit. But, here's the kicker: to make transit competitive about half of that savings would go into expanding the transit system. Moreover, 88 percent of the increse in transit ridership comes from households moving from one car to zero.

So, the only way to boost transit ridership in a meaningful way is to eliminate automobiles, if not directly then indirectly. By making conditions so miserable for automobile use, people won't even buy a car, let alone use it

Where do these conditions exist? Try Manhattan. At more than 50,000 people per square mile, fewer than 5 percent of residents commute by car.