source: Wendell Cox
The Rio Grande Foundation has steadily documented why transit does not — and cannot — work in New Mexico. But one reason government-run buses and trains fail is often overlooked.
As Wendell Cox wrote last week, “Working at home continues to grow as a preferred access mode to work, according to the recently released American Community Survey data for 2016. The latest data shows [sic] that 5.0 percent of the nation’s work force worked from home, nearly equaling that of transit’s 5.1 percent. In 2000, working at home comprised only 3.3 percent of the workforce, meaning over the past 16 years there has been an impressive 53 percent increase.”
In New Mexico’s largest metro region, telecommuting has long surpassed transit. The chart below indicates that, for at least the last decade, more Burquenos have traveled to work via computer than courtesy ABQ RIDE and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express.
Technology — telecommuting, on-demand ride-hailing, and soon, driverless cars — is destroying transit. Why are the state’s planners and politicians’ squandering millions on transportation systems that don’t meet New Mexicans’ needs?
That is an excellent question, Paul.
The Rail Runner and ART are pretty much the two worst ideas ever!
Staggering amounts of money wasted!
The contractors got rich though and the pols had there pockets lined so I guess everything is okay.
Matt Rawlings