[lbo-talk] discreet charms of transportation apartheid

[Tim Francis-Wright]

Jordan Hayes wrote:
> There are generally half to two-thirds of the number of trains
> > available for reverse commuting on the New Haven line as well
> > as the NJ Transit and LIRR trains.
>
> Right.  I'm not saying that it should be different; I'm just saying that 
> this disparity is a not-insignificant part of auto use in NYC, and you 
> can't just say "well, those people are just *choosing* to drive" ...
> 
> To further this point, the paper I've cited goes on to show that as an 
> area (they use counties) has less transit options (either fewer trains 
> or slower ones) into the city, the proportion of trips made using 
> transit goes down.  This ought to be obvious, but since so many people 
> have basically said "NYC has subways, you're eeevil if you drive" that I 
> feel it's important to point it out explicitly.

It is obvious, but it should also be apparent that the reverse-
commute options on NYC commuter rail are generally better than
the *standard* commuting options for most other urban areas.  The
idea that these Manhattanites must drive to Stamford or Yonkers
because there aren't any trains is not much of an argument.
(Whether they are driving because their workplaces are in
industrial parks far away from the rail lines is another
thing.)

I should point out that the "large number" of Manhattanites
who are driving to work is really quite small relative to the
total population.  The 2006 Census statistics show that of
a workforce of 826,907 in New York County, 60,007 drove alone
to work and 23,150 carpooled.  The other 90% took public
transportation, walked, or worked from home.  (To put this in
perspective, more people in Rockland County, with one-sixth
the labor force, drive to work.)

--tim francis-wright