John A. Charles Jr. believes that recent evidence suggests that it’s time to reconsider the basic purpose of the agency
John A. Charles Jr.
Cascade Policy Institute
For those of us who came of age in the 1970s, the conventional wisdom was that cars were gas guzzlers and the environmentally correct way to travel was via transit.
That is no longer the case.
Last month the Federal Transit Agency (FTA) released its 2022 National Transit Database. According to Oregon economist Randal O’Toole, the results show that transit used more energy per passenger-mile than the average car or light truck in every urban area. Transit vehicles also emitted more greenhouse gasses than the average car or light truck in every urban area except New York.
Local planners seem to have missed this development. Metro’s proposed Regional Transportation Plan, which the agency will adopt in early December, recommends that we provide more funding for TriMet and take measures to increase ridership as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Obviously this strategy will fail, because transit itself is failing.
TriMet’s share of all regional trips today is about 4%, which means it’s irrelevant to most regional travelers. This suggests that it’s time to reconsider the basic purpose of the agency. Ridership peaked in 2012, and there is no evidence that it will ever come back. If there are few riders and transit vehicles are less efficient than cars, what is the point?
John A. Charles, Jr. is president and CEO of Cascade Policy Institute, Oregon’s free market public policy research organization.
Also read:
- Opinion: ‘A more responsible approach must be sought’
Ken Vance argues a $10 billion funding gap makes the phased I-5 Bridge approach fiscally reckless, not responsible. - ‘Light rail to nowhere’? Surging costs undercut I-5 bridge transit plan
Vancouver’s promised light rail extension to Library Square has no timeline, and the waterfront station would sit 90 feet above ground. - Washington, Oregon transportation commissions to discuss Interstate 5 bridge tolling
Washington and Oregon commissions will jointly review I-5 bridge toll rate options and discount analysis on June 5. - County Public Works reminds residents to secure loads before hauling, to reduce dangerous roadside debris and litter
Unsecured vehicle loads cause more than 300 Washington crashes annually and dumped 150,000+ lbs of litter in Clark County in 2025. - Weekend paving work closes southbound I-205 entrance from I-5 in Vancouver May 29-31
Crews will use a smart work zone system with zipper merging to reduce delays during the I-205 closure.
