I'm not sure how I missed this (actually, I have an idea – more on that in a minute), but back in February the Federal Transit Administration issued the following warning about strengthened "Buy America" transit procurement protectionism: Congress and the Obama Administration asked Americans to … [Read more...]
Five union work rules that harm transit productivity
Since Alon's comment a few weeks ago that union work rules, not wages and benefits, are the real problem with labor unions at America's transit authorities, I've been looking into the matter, which seems to be something that a lot of transit boosters don't like to talk about. It's an uncomfortable … [Read more...]
Links
1. The fact that we even have to have a debate over whether residential development should be allowed in Midtown, where new residents will have perhaps a smaller impact on transportation infrastucture than anywhere else in the country (they can either walk to work or do a reverse train commute), is … [Read more...]
Nicole Gelinas responds to Alon Levy on MTA pay
Last week commenter Alon Levy criticized the Manhattan Institute's position on transit unions, and Nicole Gelinas in particular, as being too focused on overall pay levels while neglecting overstaffing. Nicole wrote to me soon after to defend her record on the transit issue, and it does indeed look … [Read more...]
From the comments: Public transit’s problem is overstaffing, not wages
Alon Levy writes in the comments in response to an item in yesterday's links about a Republican legislator in Texas looking to cut bus drivers' salaries: Repeating my comment on the Austin Contrarian, and similar comments I've made on Second Avenue Sagas: the problem is more staffing than … [Read more...]
Links: Transit worker wages, farmers markets, parking, and beyond!
1. Austin Contrarian comes out in favor of a Republican proposal to lower bus drivers' wages. I wish more liberal urbanists (i.e., urbanists) would comment on issues like these. I don't see (m)any of them vociferously defending transit labor unions, but I also don't see them criticizing them for … [Read more...]
Links
1. An excellent Wikipedia article about the old DC streetcars. I wish there were more economics, and I'd also like to know about the state-mandated consolidation that they talk about in the mid-1890s. Also note that streetcar use reached its peak in the mid 1910s – when people talk about interstate … [Read more...]
The “Systemic Failure” of US transportation policy
Today I stumbled upon a blog that's gotta be the best one I've found in a while. It's about US transportation policy by a blogger who seems to be based somewhere in the Bay Area, and it's called, fittingly, Systemic Failure. The post that first got my attention was this one about London's bike … [Read more...]