Exxon/Mobile profit soars

[Ben Kenobi]

taxes I4s less then I6, V-6, V-8 etc...

What about minivans? How are you going to deal with those? I'd prefer to avoid taxing a minivan, since they are a staple family vehicle.

Towns without public transportation are small enough to walk around or ride your bike. If she's disabled or something, maybe she should move.

Ever been to Canada in the winter, Kidicious?

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Towns without public transportation are small enough to walk around or ride your bike. If she's disabled or something, maybe she should move.

sometimes you have to go to a different town (often in the smaller towns)

Jon Miller

[TCO]

Originally posted by Oerdin
This weeks time magazine puts the number at 70%; the highest ever and the lowest number for rail since records have been taken.

difference may be in finished goods versus commodities (coal).

[Imran Siddiqui]

The only point I made is that gas prices would be higher if we did away with subsidies.

No you didn't. You may WISH you said that, but you actually said that without subsidies, US gas prices would be the same as Europe's. Sorry, but our subsides aren't anywhere NEAR $3.00 in ever gasoline sale at a pump.

[Kontiki]

The suburban/extraurban sprawls are part and parcel of the problem, though. Currently, there is a disincentive in many areas to build medium to high density areas because there is little to no provisions for increasing public transit. Here in Toronto, to use an example, the density allowed for new developments is directly linked to the public transportation infrastructure serving that area. I would imagine that similar situations are in place throughout North America.

Don't get me wrong - it's not like I think higher taxes on gasoline coupled with improvements in public transit are the end-all-be-all solution to transportation and environmental issues. But I do think that they are a necessary part of the overall solution which involves many other facets, not the least of which is reforms to local and regional planning processes.

As for most goods being shipped by truck, that's simply a matter of it being a combination of being economical and flexible. If fuel prices jumped, you'd see an increase in the amount of goods shipped by rail, especially on and intercity basis. And again, part of the problem is existing planning where manufacturing, transfer and warehousing sites tend to be based in extra-urban areas and quite spread out, increasing the reliance on the flexibility trucking can offer over rail.

[Adam Smith]

Originally posted by Oerdin
This weeks time magazine puts the number at 70%; the highest ever and the lowest number for rail since records have been taken.

Do you have a specific quote on this? I work in the office which puts out these statistics, and this doesn't sound quite right. (Usually I would see this in our media clips, and we would welcome the opportunity to make a correction if there is a problem.)

Usually transportation market share is measured by ton-miles. A ton-mile is one ton carried one mile. IIRC, rail has about 40% of ton-miles, and truck has about 36.

Could be a couple of explanations. They could be looking just at tons, or a value of shipments, either of which would give truck a larger share. Or they could be ignoring the fact that much long-distance truck traffic actually moves by rail. For example, the vast majority of all freight between the midwest and west coast is truck trailers on railroad cars. Pick the load up in Detroit, drive it to Chicago, train to Los Angeles, truck for the last part of the trip to San Diego. FOr all the shipper knows, it went by truck the whole way.

[DanS]

I work in the office which puts out these statistics

I am the brute squad!

[TCO]

(piling on)

Originally posted by Adam Smith
I work in the office which puts out these statistics...

Yes, but you are still way behind in junketting.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Towns without public transportation are small enough to walk around or ride your bike.

Many of these 'towns' don't have adequate public transportation at all. As GP can atest to, Atlanta's public transportation is a joke. A poor person simply cannot rely on it (or else they'd have to drive 10 miles to get to a station).

[TCO]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

Towns without public transportation are small enough to walk around or ride your bike.

Many of these 'towns' don't have adequate public transportation at all. As GP can atest to, Atlanta's public transportation is a joke. A poor person simply cannot rely on it (or else they'd have to drive 10 miles to get to a station).

You can do a lot on the bike if you have balls. And the bus is not bad.

[Imran Siddiqui]

But even in the bus, you gotta sit in Atlanta traffic . And in some areas bus stops aren't close enough together.

As for a bike... . If you didn't notice, I ain't in the best of shape .

[TCO]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
But even in the bus, you gotta sit in Atlanta traffic . And in some areas bus stops aren't close enough together.

As for a bike... . If you didn't notice, I ain't in the best of shape .

1. People ***** about the traffic. But it is not so bad if you are not in Cobb county.

2. you can do it on the bike. I'm as fat as you. The distance gets shorter the more you do it.

[The Mad Monk]

Originally posted by Kidicious


All government expenses are subsidies. There are good and bad.

sub·si·dy ( P ) Pronunciation Key (sbs-d)
n. pl. sub·si·dies
Monetary assistance granted by a government to a person or group in support of an enterprise regarded as being in the public interest.
Financial assistance given by one person or government to another.
Money formerly granted to the British Crown by Parliament.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=subsidy&db=*

Where do you get your definition?

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'm as fat as you.

It hides a fat man's soul .

[TCO]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

I'm as fat as you.

It hides a fat man's soul .

donounderstand.