Finding Effective Arguments for Funding Mass Transit

Photo by julien via Flickr.

[I] want to figure out a solid economic argument for mass transit -- a solid economic argument against car sprawl -- an argument that actually has rhetorical impact, can be stated in less than 500 words, uses plain speech, avoids any extraneous explanations about property taxes and federal and state excise taxes, drops in sales taxes, etc.

Read this provocative article and discussion at StreetsBlog. How can we make an effective argument for transit?

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Indy Transit History: The Indianapolis Street Car Strike of 1913

Image © 2009 Indiana Historical Society. All Rights Reserved.

The 1892 Indianapolis Streetcar Strike began when workers already upset over low pay and long days were told to give up one of their few benefits – their free streetcar pass. After days of idle streetcars the passes were restored and the strike ended. In this view striking workers have surrounded a streetcar.

Read more about this momentous example of Indy transit activism on Wikipedia.

The awesome photo (and many more) can be found at the Indiana Historical Society's digital library.

Record-breaking transit ridership saved fuel equal to the amount consumed by 20,200 cars in Indiana

In 2008, people in Indiana saved 11,670,000 gallons of gasoline by riding transit in record numbers – the amount consumed by 20,200 cars in Indiana. Transportation is responsible for more than two-thirds of our dependence on oil, and about one-third of our carbon dioxide pollution Environment America outlined in their new report 'Getting On Track: Record Transit Ridership Increases Energy Independence.'

Read this article from the Muncie Free Press.