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Science Forum Index » Energy Forum » Subsidize taxis to save fuel
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| habshi |
 Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:37 am |
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America is now importing about 12m barrels a day and will
import even more as its oil production declines further. This is about
4b barrels a year or all the oil in Alaska , at a cost of $400b .With
its huge trade deficit even America wont be able to buy all this fuel
without selling much of itself.
Most people wont use buses even if they were made free because
of the problem of the last half mile to their homes. However if taxis
were made cheap , for eg by allowing retired people to earn say
$20,000 a year tax free if they did it driving taxis , then a single
taxi could take six people to work , so cutting the commuter cars
dramatically. Fewer cars on the road means less hours lost in traffic
jams and less money wasted on dwindiling oil supplies.
Neighbourhood taxis run by salaried retired pensioners could
ferry people to the local bus or train station at either end could
reduce cars on the road fifty fold !! |
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| habshi |
| Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:56 am |
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Guest
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The Brits have made buses free and trains half price for all
those over 65
excerpt
guardian.co.uk
In the coming months and years, the highs and lows of long distance
travel on a stopping bus will be experienced by thousands of
pensioners and people with disabilities as part of Gordon Brown's
scheme to reform public transport, which came into force on Tuesday.
It will not come cheap. The Department for Transport is providing
grants - £212m this year - to cover the cost, but some local
authorities are worried this might not be enough. If hoards of
pensioners descend, for instance, on the Lake District, local
taxpayers there may be out of pocket.
But pensioners are delighted, and this week many thousands packed
their lunch boxes, filled their flasks and set out in search of
adventure.
Richard Worrall, a pensioners' campaigner from the West Midlands, was
one, leading a group of 16 to the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire.
"People are beginning to realise the potential. They think it's
brilliant," he said.
An environmentally friendly trip to the Eden Project in Cornwall from
the Midlands by bus all the way and a real ale tour - no designated
driver required - are on the drawing board.
Awareness
Worrall, who travelled around England on the buses in February (having
to pay) to raise awareness of the free scheme, said the "next logical
step" was to campaign for a pass covering the whole of the UK.
(Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own separate schemes.)
"Then maybe Europe, who knows?" he said.
As the Guardian was trundling north this week, Manju Ghosh, a retired
consultant haematologist, and her friend Christine Jackson were
bumping along south from Berwick-upon-Tweed towards Cornwall.
By yesterday the pair, who style themselves the Grauniad Girls because
of their love of the Guardian cryptic crossword, had reached
Sheffield.
They are taking 12 days to our four. "It's not a race," said Ghosh.
"We are taking our time, staying with friends, having a great time |
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