Public Transportation: A Missed Opportunity to Create Jobs

Last week's disappointing June jobs growth report was not welcome news to the thousands of Americans still out of work.

Congress had an opportunity to address the workforce shortage with the recently passed transportation bill, but squandered that opportunity by failing to fund mass transit in this legislation.

Investment in public transportation can stimulate the economy and create jobs. More than 570 jobs are created for each $10 million invested in the short term. According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), every $1 billion invested in public transportation creates and supports 36,000 American jobs. That is real job growth.

Mass transit is a stimulant for the economy in so many ways. Direct investment into transit operations means more public transportation and lower fares, which in turn helps local businesses. It brings people with jobs to their stores with more money in their pockets so they can buy things.

More jobs and more business. Isn't that the very definition of economic recovery?

Instead, working families will continue to suffer. The American mass transit crisis will become worse under this legislation with hidden taxes on commuters and transit riders though increasing fares while forcing cash-strapped transit systems to cut more service.

Unfortunately Senate and House leadership does not understand that, and they blew a real opportunity with the transportation bill. Until lawmakers support and fund public transportation, we will continue to see underwhelming job growth numbers.

 

Comments

[mikeydjd83]

09:12 AM on 07/12/2012

"The individual risk-taker took full advantage of the national security apparatus and the law of contracts, on the one hand, to protect and preserve his capital investment and vast profit potential. Consequently, that same risk-taker had the resulting obligation, on the other hand, to permit the law to change to a sufficient degree to protect and improve the fundamental human rights of the workers who made those profits possible."

Read more at

http://lifeamongtheordinary.blogspot.com/2012/07/organization-of-labor-part-three.html

[Stevie Hallandale]

11:30 PM on 07/11/2012

Magnetic levetation rail is our future.

[massimo1]

07:34 PM on 07/11/2012

I am surprised by some of the negative comments here. If anyone has lived in a city with great public transit, it is a great way to get around. OK, yeah, it's not perfect and yeah, it sometimes adds time to the commute, but it is generally good and efficient MASS transit that serves large amounts of people. In our suburbanized cities, boosting public transit can be beneficial. Look at Portland, Oregon. It doesn't follow that public transit is necessarily a financial boondoogle because big-scary gubmint is in charge. That's just hyperbolic. And, for balance, I must disagree with Mr. Hanley. The Congressional leadership does understand about public transportation. They get the facts and figures and phone calls and emails. They just didn't want to be seen by influential constituents as being proponents of spending. They are more interested in retaining their seats and salaries and fundraising friends than helping Americans who need help.

[fortressfountain]

05:00 PM on 07/11/2012

The emphasis should be creating well paying jobs so people can drive their own cars to work with affordable fuel.
It should not be to create cattle cars for people to ride back and forth to marginal jobs. Wow the elite do want us to go to a bananna republic.

[spinotter11]

09:12 PM on 07/11/2012

Public transit is the ecological way to go, and you have only to look at other countries where public transit has all the perks: wifi, air-conditioning, makes you want to sell those cars and depend exclusively on public transit.

[Wisconsin Patriot]

03:37 PM on 07/11/2012

Sorry Larry, no public funds will go to your glorious public-sector union in this bill. Maybe it has to do with not having accountability requirements.


Because, Larry, the People are sick of public sector unions siphoning public funds. The game is over and the AFL-CIO days are numbered.

[spinotter11]

09:15 PM on 07/11/2012

Everyone agrees that the USA are neglecting our national infrastructure after decades of under-investment. We are beginning to look like a third-world country in respect to our highways, trains, bridges, and most components of our national transportation system.

[luv2Bgay]

02:52 PM on 07/11/2012

Governemnt spending does not create jobs

it sucks money out of the free market and we lose real jobs

36,000 union hacks/$billion is a waste of money

[Wisconsin Patriot]

03:38 PM on 07/11/2012

Larry does not care at all about jobs - he wants public funds with no accountability requirements just like the Stimulus sent directly to his public sector union coffers.

[fortressfountain]

02:43 PM on 07/11/2012

The only problem with privitization is they use our tax dollars, do not lower prices and do not hire local american people.
People will not spend money they do not have at stores.
Dealing with public transportation adds 4 hours to your workday that is uncompensated.
Some of you may want to ride a bus or bike before you suggest this is helpful to people.

[signgrrl]

03:27 PM on 07/11/2012

so, the people who can't afford a car should teleport ?? public transportation in and of itself is NOT a bad thing.

[Robert SF]

02:13 PM on 07/11/2012

The problem with public transit is that the public sees it largely as a boondogle and an opportunity for public workers to stuff themselves at the public trough. And unfortunately, the public is right about a lot of it. Just look at San Francisco's MUNI. The 250 words I have here aren't enough to even summarize the cesspool of filth, corruption, patronage, and abuse the system is.