Each year federal agencies receive funding from Congress, known as budgetary resources . In 2022, the Department of Transportation (DOT) had $354.83 Billion distributed among its 11 sub-components. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 appropriated $1.5 billion to the Department of Transportation for 478 projects at the request of Members of Congress. Tribal, state, and local governments received the funds to make improvements to transportation infrastructure. including roads, sidewalks and concourse renovations for airports. Each individual fund ranged from $30,000 to $100 million, with over 80 percent of projects receiving less than $5 million per project.
Narrow down which types of responses you would like to see.
Narrow down the conversation to these participants:
Voting for candidate:
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes
@9GGD5TP 2yrs2Y
Top Agreement
Yes, Public Transportation is essential its more sustainable than cars, not saying I don't like cars, and it will actually be more helpful to our city and surrounding cities and even states to travel on a more affordable and faster level like trains.
In 2019, the New York City Subway system required nearly $17 billion in operating expenses, which was heavily subsidized by taxpayers. The increased spending did no lead to improved services. Between 1996 and 2015, despite a 25% increase in spending, the U.S. public transit saw a decrease in ridership by about 6%.
@9KSYZK2Independent1yr1Y
That is because US public transportation is highly inefficient due to car dependency. Cars aren't bad, but relying on them creates problems. We need to give people viable alternative transportation options.
@9GGDQPC2yrs2Y
I am also of the belief that free college should be an option given to all potential students as every individual has the right to have resources to better their qaulity of life or simply be able to pursue an education because they want to.
@9H83MWG1yr1Y
You do have the right to have resource to better your quality of life. This resource is called a job. It is very much possible to go to an in state college and live at home while working and still be debt free afterward. Even not debt free almost everyone still has a chance to pursue education if they want to.
Who's gonna pay the teacher's salaries? Someone's gotta pay for them, whether it's the student's family themselves or taxpayers (which includes the student's family).
Transportation is a luxury that should be paid by the rider, not paid for by government using taxpayer's money.
@9GGF3GT2yrs2Y
use a car, but it can be valid yet youre probably spendin more money on public transportation tan you are on usin a car
@9GYYPY3 1yr1Y
Funding for public transportation can help improve the other issues as well. For example, it helps with the issue of climate change. According to 𝘜𝘊𝘓𝘈 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, "Every vehicle on the road releases an average of one pound of CO2 per mile driven. Compared with driving alone, taking public transportation reduces CO2 emissions by 45%, decreasing pollutants in the atmosphere and improving air quality. It's estimated that public transportation in the U.S. saves 37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually..." (Pei).
Work Cited:
Pei, Andy. “5 Environmental Benefits of Sustainable Transportation.” UCLA Transportation, 7 Oct 2021, transportation.ucla.edu/blog/5-environmental-benefits-sustainable-transportation. Accessed 14 November 2023.
@9GYZQP71yr1Y
help people afford electric vehicles at the same price as a cheap car cause then theyll release less gas emmisions in the future and theyd be able to get around better or convert public transit electric
@9KSYZK2Independent1yr1Y
Haha, right. More lithium mined for batteries sounds WAY more sustainable. Besides climate change, it should be known that car dependency regardless if the cars are electric or not is bad for city economies and the mental health of people.
@9GJTZNX 2yrs2Y
Cars produce smog, and regardless of your views on climate change, it is not good for our health to be inhaling lots of it. Reducing cars on the road by increasing investment in public transport will give those who do not want to drive the option to take other forms of transport and it will give those who cannot afford a car a reliable option. Most citizens will benefit, even those not intending on taking public transport as their travel times will decrease. Public transport investment will also make cities a source of pride and strength, and it will also increase economic activity in a city.
@9GLC2BV 2yrs2Y
If we give citizens viable options for alternative transportation, they will choose what works best for themselves. The problem is there aren’t great options for alternatives. We invest heavily in cars in this country while we should have affordable options for not just inner city travel, but also commuting from suburbian areas and cross-country high speed rail systems. We are a nation of innovation and it’s time we start behaving as one instead of just claiming it. Building greater transportation systems that don’t just rely on cars will enable better access to work, childc… Read more
@9GL96ZNWomen’s Equality2yrs2Y
I agree with this, i think there should be more available bus routes that travel all over the city, as well and trains, the United kingdom has trains that travel through all their cities and it is very beneficial to them
@9JDB9JC1yr1Y
The U.S. isn't the Uk though at all. Just because it worked for the UK doesn't mean the same implementation of utilizing trains alongside buses wouldn't work for the U.S. as our land is much greater, state and federal government operates differently, etc.
@9KSYZK2Independent1yr1Y
America is big, but that doesn't mean you're traveling from Seattle to Miami weekly. Rail has worked efficiently before and was very widespread (especially in the North,) and with enough determination, it can now work as well.
@9GLD9Y92yrs2Y
I agree having a more functional interstate and local road systems as well as a more developed bus and train system would greatly benefit the lower to middle class and cut down on fuel spending on just cars.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No
@9GQPJDQRepublican2yrs2Y
I think public transportation should be free to some people. I say this because for people who can't afford public transportation should be allowed to be free and people can pay should pay the amount for the transportation.
@9GHKL2Z2yrs2Y
I believe that the public transportation should be lowered. Because the people who work in Transportation still need to make money
We should provide more free public transportation.
While the idea of free public transportation may seem appealing on the surface, it is important to carefully consider the potential financial implications, capacity constraints, and overall effectiveness of such a system in addressing broader transportation issues.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes, and provide more free public transportation
@9GHF8ZZLibertarian 2yrs2Y
Top Disagreement
Government has proven time and time again that they are inefficient and produce subpar programs whenever they try to become involved with public transportation. The solution is not more money in the hands of those who do not know how to utilize it, but rather money in different hands: those of the private businesses that are motivated by competition to provide the best services.
@9GHGB272yrs2Y
The governments of the past may have mishandled the execution of public transport programs, but we have seen examples around the world of government-funded public transport being effective and beneficial to commerce. It simply needs to be executed appropriately, with the help of the most skilled engineers and experts.
@P4rtyClam2yrs2Y
We can't ignore the success stories of public transportation in cities like Singapore and Tokyo, where government-run systems are efficient, reliable, and affordable. These cities demonstrate that public transportation can be well-managed and effective.
@9GHHRCL2yrs2Y
the government makes subpar transportation services because they arent actually interested in making public transport more accessible. they're more interested than money from car companies.
@9GJGJNRIndependent2yrs2Y
no, we shouldn't provide free transportation but lower prices because people could abuse the power of having free transportation, there could people riding the bus that don't need to use it because they have a car and when people who actually needs it cant because it becomes full, but if you lower it more people would be able to ride where they need to go with no problem and it'll still take care of the gas problem.
@9GS27CBWomen’s Equality2yrs2Y
it might be more effective to focus on improving affordability, accessibility, and efficiency of public transportation
@9FRZNJK2yrs2Y
My counter argument is that, for the people of our society to live within peace, i say that instead of lowering the rates, we make a program for low-income people who make less than 10k a year. increase pay rate for bus drivers by 20% and increase the amount of jobs for people in the society.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
Yes, but only if the spending goes towards environmentally friendly solutions
@9GHM8CQ 2yrs2Y
Top Agreement
Environmentally friendly solutions have been shown to be more economically friendly in the long-term than regular emission-producing options due to the rising gas prices and short term lives of traditional engines.
Electric buses cost significantly more than their diesel counterparts. The infrastructure for charging these vehicles is also not as developed, potentially leading to further costs.
@9GHNG7R2yrs2Y
However, envirnomental problems have been going on too long and have reached dangerous levels, The United States can not afford to make long-term changes as they do not have the time to execute such.
Public transportation can help the environment by decreasing the need for things that hurt the planet, such as large roads, parking lots, and low-capacity vehicles like cars.
@9FS7CL22yrs2Y
One of the main draws of public transit is lower emissions, so making it as environmentally friendly as possible is the best way to do this.
@9FGP9Q52yrs2Y
All public transit is environmentally friendly, in comparison to individual automobiles. One bus can take ten cars off the road and reduce emissions, even if the bus isn't particularly efficient.
@9KSYZK2Independent1yr1Y
It can be efficient if better bus infrastructure is made.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No, and we should privatize more public transportation services
@93XXJ6B3yrs3Y
I wholeheartly disagree. (This is long, but I'm not really trying to change your opinion on this. It doesn't matter what you think, I actively work on transportation in life, so my opinion will not just stay as an idle opinion on the internet) If we take lessons from history, I'm taking the time when public transit was largely privatized, then we will see that this will, probably, lead to nothing good. An example most transit enthuists know of is the Los Angeles streetcar, although I am going to explaining more than most people understand it. LA was once the city with the largest interurban streetcar system in the world, and this was run by a private company. The private company, Pacifific Electric/LARY, built these streetcar lines out for the pure intrest of profit, and running a streetcar was not and is not profitable. They made money by building out the lines and selling the real estate because the streetcar drastically increased property value. The people were as reliant with the streetcar, or more often nicknamed the red car, as they are with the automobile now. Like the big railroads of the time, they were also big infuencers on politics, this time with town hall not capital hill. They were nitourious for bribing city officals and corrupting local governments, as such the people resented them and they were eager when the ford model T became widely avaiable to switch over to gain freedom from the streetcar. Pacific Electric/LARY as such, lost heavy amounts of profit. The thought of subsidizing the streetcar though, was unpopular, and they ended up closing a lot of lines as they fell into deeper disrepair than they had already left them in too keep profits rolling. They planned to switch to buses before WW2, but the rubber shortage made them halt. Then General Motors bought up the companies and replaced the final lines with buses. This has given a lot of people the false consiparcy that GM killed the streetcar, they also did this in many other cities with their streetcar lines, but in reality, the nature of private businesses do not lend well to public utility. The only reason any privart public transportation companies exist in america now is because of government subsides. In an entirely free market system, public transit would not survive. Although if an entirely free market system existed than there wouldn't have been the development of the transcontinetal railways, the era of the freeway, and modern america as we know it. Maybe government bonds are Read more
@99G6J3L2yrs2Y
well if the government isn't going to do anything about then we should, its time we take advantage of how the government refuses to regulate some aspects of our market that have resulted in harm
@9FD8TJN2yrs2Y
America is built off of cars and is incredibly dangerous for pedestrians. Public transportation makes our roads safer and less harmful to the environment, but our current public transportation is inefficient. If we invest in more options for transportation, like safer biking trails, buses, more walkable areas, etc., the environment is improved and the raods are safer.
@CoyoteMartyLibertarian2yrs2Y
While it's true that public transportation can make roads safer and less harmful to the environment, it's also important to consider the financial implications of such an investment. For instance, the case of Detroit's QLine streetcar shows that investing in public transportation doesn't always lead to anticipated outcomes. Despite the $187 million spent on its development, the QLine has seen low ridership and financial struggles. This suggests that before increasing spending, we need to ensure that the public transportation options being considered are sustainable and will be utilized effectively by the community. What are your thoughts on this? How can we ensure the success of public transportation initiatives?
@9FBQKM72yrs2Y
Public transit drives economic growth which our government should incentivize. Furthermore, public transit is a critical to many people's daily lives, especially in low income areas. Lastly, public transit often relies on public subsidies anyway and is typically far from profitable, thus making it extremely difficult to operate privately.
@9FG7PSG2yrs2Y
Private transportation in countries such as the UK have shown that it doesn't decrease prices and lead to better transportation, rather it leads to raillines to unprofitable areas to be shut down, leading to regressive public transportation policy.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No, we have more important issues that need funding
@9H49LBV1yr1Y
Americans need to use cars less and prioritize public transportation to combat urban sprawl and climate change.
@9H4YSXT1yr1Y
More public transportation funding will allow our economy to flourish through the development of high speed rail
@9H2Y8B71yr1Y
Public transportation will facilitate the lives of US citizens and they are paying taxes for the government to take care of those things.
@9H2CP331yr1Y
We can't just let urban sprawling get even more out of control, the amount of cars lead to higher traffic, which leads to more road expansions, which leads to pollution, and again, in tandem with abhorrent urban planning, increases urban sprawling and potentially the destruction of wildlife habitats due to city expansion due to urban sprawling. This is an important issue that also needs attention and should not be casted on with a blind eye.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No, and we should reduce current spending
@9FYQH32Progressive 2yrs2Y
Increased investment in public transportation will get Americans to work, to education, and to healthcare, and it will also get our nation to more job creation, less traffic congestion and cleaner air.
@9FW9S29Progressive 2yrs2Y
Public transportation is much more efficient in carrying people than private transportation. Much of public transit throughout America is under-funded and therefore lacks quality service. If public transit was invested more, there would be more job opportunities and improved access to amenities. Only funding private transportation will only encourage private transportation, making there be even more private vehicles on the road, causing road congestion. Public transportation improves community health, brings economic benefits to the community, improves fuel efficiency, reduces air pollution, improves road congestion, improves community mobility, and provides an equitable transportation system. Therefore, it is essential that efficient and sufficient transportation is funded properly.
I'd rather reduce taxes at the cost of making public transportation not free. Public transportation is still paid, it's just that instead of being paid directly by us, it's being paid for by the government using our tax money. Either way, we're still paying for it.
Public transportation is essential in our conversion to a more climate friendly plant. America has sat idle for too long. We should follow the examples of European countries.
@98HRPKD2yrs2Y
Yes I agree with this comment, public transportation is a important, and will not only improve the economy but help those who do have cars, and will also help combat climate change
@PATdirk 2yrs2Y
Public transportation hardly gets any funding as it is and it would be beneficial to peoples health and an efficient way of making both long and short distance trips
@9GJWZ93 2yrs2Y
Absolutely, and there is no possible way to get to most places outside large cities. There should be more public transit access within and between cities and towns, but also a cross-country high speed rail system, like the ones already implemented in Europe and other parts of the world. It would increase people's travel, strengthen the economy, and allow more national unity.
@9GJVVD72yrs2Y
Yes I strongly agree, we need to have walkable cities and we should make public transportation, such as busses, more accesible to everyone.
@ISIDEWITH8yrs8Y
No, I am satisfied with the current amount of spending
@9G7Z5YY2yrs2Y
I don't really have specific statistics to support my claim as I don't use public transportation other than school buss transportation in my day to day life, but there are already programs I know of that are used by, say, blind people, to gt better access to transportation.
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
In what ways can improved public transit impact the environment positively or negatively?
@9H9HFRC1yr1Y
Improved public transit can impact the enviornment positively because it can encourage people to use indiviual carbon emitting veichles less. However it can also impact the enviornment negatively because the public transports can be the source of carbon emissions.
If more people utilized public transportation that utilizes clean energy, we could see decreases in greenhouse gases. More incentives, routes to me suburban areas, and clean energy are key.
@9H8HMCL1yr1Y
Create transits with less pollution and toxic gasses, but still considering active transits, such as biking, skateboarding, and walking.
@9H9HPBY 1yr1Y
More public transportation lowers the use of fossil fuels and minimizes the amount of repairs on personal vehicles.
@9D6DG6K2yrs2Y
It should be less
Interesting perspective. For instance, some might argue that investing heavily in public transportation might not be necessary in cities where emerging technologies like ridesharing services are becoming increasingly popular and efficient. What are your thoughts on this alternative solution to improving transportation?
@97ZLYW32yrs2Y
Public transportation is not a federal issue. States or municipalities should address this
@VulcanMan6 2yrs2Y
It didn't specify "federal", just government in general; regardless, do you think local governments should increase spending on public transportation..?
Do you feel the same way about federal highway funding?
@983JWY52yrs2Y
“is not a federal issue”
Yes, but grants are needed for this, like really state and local governments can't afford this stuff. Railtown by Ethan N. Elkind shows some prime examples of this.
@8FBCPP7Republican5yrs5Y
keep it at the state level.
@ISIDEWITH8mos8MO
How would you feel if your only transportation option was public transit, and why?
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@ISIDEWITH8mos8MO
What’s the most memorable experience you’ve had on public transportation, good or bad, and how did it shape your views on it?
@9TP2NDHPeace and Freedom8mos8MO
Bad everyone is either weird, not good people, rob you, take things,
@9TNYHDLLibertarian8mos8MO
I was on a bus one time it was fine to be honest I don’t have any views on it.
@9TNZ46FWomen’s Equality8mos8MO
Being on a chater bus the drivers are always nice.
@9DYZN5X2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@9G3VQNN2yrs2Y
i think public transportation should be all over the world with 5000 different and unique bus routes in upstate ny
We must consider the practicality and cost-effectiveness of such a system. For example, in rural areas, maintaining such a large number of bus routes might incur high operational costs due to lower ridership. Instead, we could look into flexible transit services or demand-responsive transit in these areas.
@ISIDEWITH1yr1Y
@9S2PDWW9mos9MO
The United States needs to spend more money on public transportation, in order to improve the national railway system and expand it, so it can reach other locations, improve The metro and subway systems in various cities and help cities build These systems, and they should help finance better bus, transportation within cities, and towns
@sterlingiii 12mos12MO
Yes, we must keep renovating public transportation countrywide until we have transportation to and from each state in this country my solution would be a free transit system organized by Elon Musk & other billionaires creating electric train stations that go to and from each city/state.
@9L5DG4R1yr1Y
I believe it should be more State funding rather then Federal funding. I also believe we should spend more, but also be Fiscally responsible.
@9FGRTFC2yrs2Y
Yes, and provide affordable public transportation
Loading the political themes of users that engaged with this discussion
Loading data...
Join in on more popular conversations.
