TL;DW: The “just buy everyone a car” instead of subsidising transit argument doesn’t work. Even on the least cost efficient bus routes it doesn’t make sense. Also “demand responsive transit” is worse than fixed routes.
I thought this would be dumb but it was a pretty good video. Really does the math but isn’t too nerdy about it either.
By the demand responsive transit
ubertaxis is great sometimes, it just isn’t a valid replacement for busses and it costs a lot more than fixed route busses do. Edit: oh yeah this is fuck cars. Fucks cars! Fuck uber! 😋Taxis are cool, they’re a good way to fill in a few gaps for those that don’t own cars or are visiting a place.
Uber and other ride share apps seem to just increase the number of cars on the road while also exploiting their drivers.
Taxis are a necessary evil and are okay when they are used to fill in a few gaps. Germany for instance recognizes taxis as public transport.
Uber’s role and goal, however, is the same as every other tech platform: rent-seeking, regulatory capture, coercive monopoly, tech-feudalism. Enshittification, as Doctorow called it recently: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enshittification
I don’t know specifics but I know in some rural areas in my state they’re experimenting with rural “public transit” as essentially subsidized taxi service.
This is a great take down of an idea so stupid that I didn’t realize people were pushing for it. The stupid idea being replacing fixed route public transportation with government subsidized on demand rideshare.
If my city lost its transit it would no longer be a place I want to live.
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