MPR: The Future of Small Towns: Idea Generator: Idea detail and comments

Categories : People : Economic opportunity : Human services : Telecommunications : Transportation : Social/cultural opportunities : Education : Government & policy : Other

Idea for: Transportation

Focus on the cost of living; start by making transit cheap
Small towns are hurting because one of the factors that made them viable--low-cost living--is getting harder to pull off for working-age citizens.

Considering the constant press for lower wages and global competition, reducing living expenses may be vital to survival.

Here's one idea to get the ball rolling:

As long as there have to be long commutes, there are probably enough people in the area to make bus transit viable. Have local employers work with chambers of commerce to track how many employees on each shift come from each town.

Offering free or very low-priced rides can be very beneficial to employers and employees alike since employers get a tax-deduction and employees don't have to spend after-tax dollars on gas and oil changes. Employers also can give a 'raise' that doesn't increase FICA or other costs.

While this wouldn't eliminate cars since employees would still need to travel outside of work, it may eliminate the 'need' for a 2nd car.

From Glenn Kuehne of Alexandria, MN on 05/15/05

Rating:

Shared ride ideas sound good but almost always fail the test of reality - they just do not meet the real life needs of working people. There are some cases where a large employer may efficiently provide shared transit for clusters of workers who are commuting long distances. This should be a no-brainer for them, and not require a policy initiative. For most working people access to a reliable, fuel efficient car is the only practical solution. We should look for ways to make this a reality.

From Tom Quinn of Glenwood City, WI on 06/03/05

Rating:

I like this idea. There are few things I miss about city living but I do miss mass transit. I commute with a friend to our jobs 35 miles from where we live and that helps. It does require folks who are accustomed to the independence of personal transit to learn some flexibility. People around the world do it and so can we, but it will be a big shift for some people. Still, the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. I'd love to be able to catch a van to work!

From Carol Ford of Milan, MN on 05/18/05

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