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[quote user="schlimm"] [quote user="Sam1"]I think the goal should {be} to stop subsidizing all forms of transportation and require the users to tote the note.  That would mean, amongst other things, getting rid of the long distance trains and the essential air services program, which is a boondoggle every bit as bad as the subsidization of the long distance trains.[/quote]  If such a reactionary measure were implemented, the US economy would likely grind to a halt.  I hope this forum can discuss reasonable plans, not put forth such extreme, libertarian political positions as the above or the fantasy about using tracking devices on every vehicle/person to charge them for every mile they drive. [/quote] There no empirical evidence to suggest that phasing out transport subsidies over time, say 10 years, would cause the economy to grind to a halt.  Clearly, without subsidies people would change their behavior.  But it could benefit society and, dare I say it, passenger and transit rail.  Here is one example. Motor fuel taxes, which are a user fee, do not wear the full cost of supporting the operational and infrastructure costs of the nation's roadways.  Thus, motorists do not see at the pump the true cost of driving vs. other modes of transport.  As a result, Americans tend to shun public transport and buy relatively large, gas guzzling vehicles that consume considerably more fuel per mile or kilometer than motorists in countries where driving is no so heavily subsidized, i.e. Australia, New Zealand, etc.  If motorists were required to wear the full cost of driving, they would probably make greater use of public transit, passenger rail for intercity travel up to 250 to 300 miles, and buy vehicles that reduce the damage done to the environment. In FY08 Amtrak's long distance trains accounted for 4/10s of one per cent of intercity travel in the U.S.  And the essential air services program, outside of Alaska, had equally distressing numbers.  In fact, according to the DOT, more than 75 per cent of the airports served by the essential air services program are within 1 to 1.5 hours driving time of a major airport with excellent airline service.  It is hard to imagine that eliminating these services would bring the economy to a grinding halt.  In Texas they would not even be missed by the overwhelming bulk of the population. Reasonable is in the eyes of the beholder.  Moreover, the University of Nebraska is performing a study to determine if it would be feasible to use GPS technology to track motor vehicle use and use the data as a base for generating the revenues to pay for the nation's roadways.  As the Texas Transportation Commissioner, Ric Williams, told me several years ago, as gasoline and diesel are phased out, which is an environmental goal, we will have to come up with another method to fund the cost of the roadways.
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