To listen to some reports, you'd think Amtrak is the only mode
of transportation that has received federal subsidies. If truth
be told, the commercial airline industry in one year along, 2001,
received more federal hand-outs than Amtrak has received in its
entire 30-year history!!!
Political windbags such as Sen. John McCain can grumble all they want about
Amtrak's subsidization, yet in the same breath they advocate the
federal government building the city of Chicago a third airport!
The following articles will show even the casual reader that
passenger rail has been unfairly singled-out as being required to
be profitable, while competing travel modes receive generous
government hand-outs.
The point isn't to cut air and highway subsidization, but to
provide passenger (and freight) rail a level playing field.
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America's long history of funding
transportation Information
and tables on how many billions and trillions of dollars the
federal government has invested in air, highway and water
transportation. Also shows how so-called user fees do not come
close to covering roadway and airport costs. Good facts to
counter anti-Amtrak subsidization arguments.
Congress: Look to California. The writer argues that politicians often
look the other way regarding Amtrak after decades of massive
public subsidies to the nation's highway, aviation and waterway
systems. These funds have been provided for "the public
good." The writer recommends Congress look at how the
nation's most populous state has invested in passenger rail
transportation.
The
True Costs of Driving The
writer exposes all the hidden costs that help subsidize
automobile transportation.
