The future has arrived – public transportation will now cost way more than driving a car.

Do you live in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware? Then you already know public transit behemoth Septa has a $200 million deficit it can’t cover. How could this happen?

The link below is to WHYY, Philadelphia’s public radio station (state affiliated media). They want to blame the Biden administration for this fiasco. The US government is still passing out covid 19 money like it’s 2020. Yeah . . . this caught me off guard too. In any case, for 5 years Philadelphia’s public transit system has been living off taxpayer covid money from the OTHER 49 states. And now that Covid money is going away. Septa is broke.

Speaking now to WHYY - first off this is NOT a Biden created problem. Uncle Joe slept through the entire last 2 years of his presidency. If you want to blame anyone, it would be those anonymous west wing kids ruling in his name. THEY are the ones who kept passing out covid money like candy, even after media reports documented somewhere between $800 million and $2 billion in covid grant fraud. Continuing one party rule depended on single issues voters like those who worship subsidized planes, trains, and automobiles.

Septa's grant money is NOT fraud, but it's reckless and stupid. The money started when businesses were in lockdown, and half of Philadelphia was working from home, and the money WASN’T needed. Septa could have just pared back service then. Those subsidies continue today because the officials running Septa are morons, and thought free money would last forever.

Septa theorizes that it will need to hike fares 20% PLUS eliminate 20% of train and bus routes to balance its budget. By cutting 20% of routes, that means up to 20% of the system’s 700,000 monthly strap hangers will be hopping back into their cars. But there’s not enough highway bandwidth or parking capacity to meet their needs. WFH, anyone?

WHYY has a different idea – keep the covid 19 subsidies in place forever. Keep increasing the structural deficits of commuter bus and rail. Pretend trains and buses are like EVs . . .and that we have to continue subsidizing stuff that is insanely expensive.

Since public radio station WHYY is recipient of free government money itself, it has no hope of understanding that if you subsidize something you increase demand, and it becomes a never-ending, vicious circle. It becomes a dependency, like alcoholism or fentanyl addiction.

To inoculate this post against people who are now going to rant "what about this or that government program . . . ?", let me point out that in past columns I indeed HAVE said that we should stop subsidizing banks with bailouts; stop propping up Detroit with EV subsidies; stop growing those strategic stockpiles of everything from peanut butter to helium, stop spending $700 on an air force hammer. If things are too expensive, some people who can’t afford a subsidized EV or lounging in the Club Car on Septa express commuter trains will have to figure something out. It’s simply wrong to expect taxpayers earning less than average to subsidize the lifestyles of those with far higher incomes.

I’m just sayin’ . . .

Penn Medicine CEO worries about SEPTA service cuts - WHYY

This page is a permanent link to the reply below and its nested replies. See all post replies »

exchrist · 31-35

I did not read all of your post dont have time.
Mismangement of resources is a common problem in older cities. In pennsylvania Im aware of public funding cuts year over year prior to covid 19. It likely got more noticable during and now "after". Republican president (politicains) cut infrastructure and domestic services. But spends more on military aid and funding.
Thats how it works.
Welcome to America.

SusanInFlorida · 31-35, F

@exchrist thanks for admitting you didn't read the post. it explains your reply completely.

exchrist · 31-35

@SusanInFlorida ok is my response inaccurate it was meant to be general, but applicable.

exchrist · 31-35

@SusanInFlorida the septa transit system funding shortfall. Lack of parking and no alternatives. Pedestrian option (walking biking rickshaw?) Unlikely? Maybe commuter vans and trolley routes (street car kinda thing)?
I personally would love to see zip lines; gondolas and chairlifts. Obviously thats not going to happen.

dale74 · M

@exchrist I just got back from Pennsylvania and where I was working I saw lots of empty trains and busses. If you consider each of those employees make between 200-400 a day after benefits. This can add up fast especially if the bus only has 25-50 riders a day only paying 2 dollars each.

Government transportation services busses and trains do not actually operate for people that work. They normally stop by 11:00 at night that means you don't get anybody that works getting off work at 11:00 p.m. . I also normally do not start regular routes until 7:00 a.m. that means anybody needing to be at work at 7:00 a.m. would also not be able to take the train. They also don't work as often on the weekends means your weekend people are left stranded.

I'm not totally against government services involving transportation but they need to accommodate the working people if they wanted to survive without a handout.

exchrist · 31-35

@dale74 i agree i noticed that too in upstate new york where i am buses generally start pickup at 645am some are 615am last drop off 915pm some are 955pm. Its not perfect but that covers 90+ % of people? Also its possible to arrange individual pickups outside of those hours, but im not sure how that works. Weekends it drops to half as many routes(buses) and on sunday only 830am to 430pm.

dale74 · M

@exchrist say it covers 90% of people the only people that covers are people that work 85 Monday through Friday. People that work at factories for. Back for Jokers are 7 to 3 3 to 11 11 to 7 same with convenient source the majority of the workers at department stores grocery stores all work shift work. The only people public transit code is pretty much 8:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday most people working eight to five Monday through Friday who's automobiles they have a full time steady job. People that work at restaurants having to be there at 6:00 in the morning I'll be there till 11:00 or midnight they're the ones that are struggling at minimum wage working 20 to 35 hours a week who cannot afford a car.

exchrist · 31-35

@dale74 the system needs work obviously we agree there. In general a group of people(workers\students, etc.) Can request accommodation for additional pickups in the area i live. I know its been done. Probably a minimum number of people.
That being said the design of society is automobile ownership. Maybe rideshare and bicycle are the primary other options.