Transit programs could have real impact

4/9/07
Since the need for transportation isn't going away, the state is pushing alternatives beyond the one-person automobile. Traffic jams are long enough the way they are, thank you. A new push to expand bus service and encourage carpools could have a real impact.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell last week unveiled a program in which Connecticut, New York and New Jersey endeavor to encourage commuters out of their solitary cars and into a ride-sharing arrangement. The goal would be to take the equivalent of 5 million miles driven on roads from the three-state region.
Some people are justifiably antsy about the notion of sharing a ride, but it's one of the few workable solutions out there that could have an immediate impact. Expanded bus service is a sound proposal, but limited in terms of routes — not everyone will live or work on one. More trains on Metro-North and Amtrak are another good idea, but are again quite limited in terms of usefulness.
And once people get past their initial reservations, they'll find it's a program with real benefits. Not only could traffic ease, but the consequent drop in air pollution produced and oil burned will be a boon for everyone. It deserves a real chance, and businesses and organizations sponsoring participation deserve plaudits.
There are also advances in bus technology that could make ridership easier and more convenient. A push to expand MetroCard-style fare cards that could be used on all Connecticut buses — and others in the Northeast — is a positive step. As tokens in the subway have given way to swipe cards, so could bus fare take a step into the future.
Anything to encourage people onto mass transit deserves a shot. It's not as though we're building any more highways.