Article #2: Reduction of Cars

According to the Austin American Statesman, an editorial titled, Incentive to Kick Driving Habits in Austin promotes the usage of riding the Capital Metro with upgraded additions that include flat screen televisions and Wi-Fi access. The author of this editorial supports this idea in order to reduce pollution and traffic during the hectic rush hour in downtown Austin. Most importantly, the author commends on this program that is currently popular in California because it allows the citizens to pay using pretax money. Obama had signed a law focusing on economic stimulus, and this would allow each citizen to use $230 in pretax money each month. Therefore the author also points the fact that transportation for many car owners can dramatically reduce if they choose to ride on the Capital Metro vans.

The author of this editorial focuses on people that wants to save Earth as well as low-income workers. For one, the author states the fact that riding the Capital Metro can reduce the pollution in Austin and make Austin a healthier city to live. This obviously attracts the green lover of our city and those that wants to promote doing green for our environment. Secondly, the author subtlety aims towards low-income families and workers is because of their desire to save money. Most low-income workers do not drive fancy cars or even have the time to turn on the television at home from their busy day to night work shifts. This captivating program allows the low-income families to enjoy their ride to work or ride home from a busy day. Contrary to this, many middle families in Austin have cars with upgraded additions that include GPS and television as well. Not only that, but with the rapid technology people can buy additional items for their cars such as heat warmers or even portable massage paddings for chairs. So with new innovations being created so quickly, people can have all these necessities in their car as well. Why not get your own? This is why this program is focused on low-income families more to tell them that they can have a piece of heaven just like the Mercedes or BMW next to them.

For some people like the author of this editorial, they would all praise and support this program because of its money saving purpose and the reduction of traffic as well as pollution in Austin. However, I do not favor this idea as much. I agree that it may help with pollution and decrease in traffic, but there's no guarantee. The vans and shuttle buses will obviously produce a certain degree of pollution. Not only that, but this program is a business and it can gradually expand. This means that there will be more vans and shuttle buses that might produce more or less the same amount of pollution. As far as decreasing traffic, that won't happen. The Capital Metro can't promote enough to make all of Austin ride the Capital Metro and not their cars. Then car dealership and car insurance will run out of business, and that will definitely hurt our economy.

The author repeatedly emphasized on the fact that riding the vans or buses can save money because it can be paid by using the pretax money. Whether it's pretax or not, money is still money and people still have to pay with their own pockets. In other words, those pretax were still earned by the citizens' own hard work, so why should they spend it on buses if unnecessary? Not only that, but the cost is not that cheap! It ranges from $6 to $12 per person to ride the vans or buses that are specialized with televisions and Wi-Fi accessibility.Yes, it's great to be relax and enjoy the movie or surf the Internet during rush hour, but it's all unnecessary. We all live in Austin and I'm sure that everyone have a computer and television at home. Why can't they wait to get home or to another place with access to both resources? Aren't we in a tough economy right now? We don't need someone to drive us around Austin so we can have comfort at our foot. If the average person that does decide to ride the buses or vans everyday, it will cost him or her around $2190 to $4380 annually!!! On average, it would cost a regular car owner about $1000 for car insurance and $720 for gas, which adds up to be only $1720. Therefore, I personally don't think it's that cheap and it's definitely not a money saving program for me.

Beside the high cost and unnecessary resources for riding the Capital Metro, I also think it is more inconvenient. Commuters would have to get in line and often times wait for their bus or van to show up on time. This is why most commuters leave their houses early to get to the bus transits and often come home later than usual. Not only that, but the commuters often have to do some walking to get to their designated location. The reason cars were created is to allow people to have accessibility to go anywhere they want and whenever they want. All in all, I do not favor this idea because it isn't able to save money for people, which I think is very important especially in this economy.