Last Spring, the Bush Administration changed federal regulations, requiring public bus companies to drop out of bidding for large transportation contracts against private companies.
The Kentucky Derby draws a couple of hundred thousand people to Churchill Downs, and a lot of those people park at distant lots and take buses to the track. For as long as anyone can remember, the city bus company, TARC, has provided shuttle service to and from the track. This year, a private company has taken over. The result: there will be fewer buses, the buses will be of lower quality, and the cost to riders will be nearly double what it was one year ago. It's expected that lines to board the buses will be longer, since the private company is using less than half as many buses on the busiest routes. The problem is expected to be particularly acute after the race, when everyone leaves at the same time.
Yet another triumph of conservative ideology...
Yet another triumph of conservative ideology...
Really? Isn't this flavor of protectionism every bit as much a democrat thing?
Posted by: fish | 04/30/2009 at 12:34 PM
Shh... he's rolling... :)
Posted by: Steve | 04/30/2009 at 01:08 PM
The federal transit regulations that changed last Spring came out of the Department of Transportation, which is part of the Executive Branch. In general, Republicans like privatization and Democrats like public transit workers' unions, so I'm guessing there wasn't a lot of Democratic pressure on President Bush to change the regs. What is it you guys are talking about?
Posted by: Tom | 04/30/2009 at 02:51 PM
I was joking Tom.
The same thing happened with the buses for the Indy 500. Although with Indy raising taxes for everything under the sun lately, not spending Tax dollars to provide transportation to a privately owned event is fine with me.
Posted by: Steve | 04/30/2009 at 03:01 PM
The local agency turned a profit on the transportation every year. There was no subsidy. Also you may find it interesting that the company that's handling Derby transport is the same one that does the 500.
Posted by: Tom | 04/30/2009 at 03:28 PM
What is it you guys are talking about?
The private companies should in theory be at a disadvantage as there are always subsidies associated with public transportation.
That said, there's no compelling reason to suppress competition between public transit and private coach companies. Looks like somebodies lobbyist got the rules changed. Rattle someones cage and get them changed back!
Your guys are in charge! Jump into participatory democracy and call you local congressman.
Posted by: fish | 04/30/2009 at 04:09 PM
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009904300432
Article in today's Indy star. Two things stand out:
1. The shuttles for the year (all three races at the speedway) were a break even proposition.
2. Last year Indygo was allowed to run the shuttles for the 500 (the only profitable event) This year the Department of Transportation, which is part of the executive branch, said no.
Posted by: Steve | 04/30/2009 at 04:25 PM
Sorry the company's not as good, but I'm still glad to hear about the change. For a lot of reasons which will probably bore you, since we've certainly discussed them before. Why it is you like the idea of governments taking your money and going out on business ventures, I have no real idea.
Posted by: A | 05/01/2009 at 07:13 AM