Bus chat

There were 3 of us waiting for the bus today, all professors at NKU, so we chatted while waiting. I had discussed with students taking the bus and 1 reminded me that buses in Cincinnati region all go to and from downtown Cincinnati so that students from the next county in Kentucky (Boone) can get to NKU in Campbell County only by taking one bus downtown and then another out through Campbell County. There are no buses that go across town. It's a problem with public transportation here as well as in many other cities.

We Americans are quick to say that buses (or trains or subways) cost too much, however, we conveniently overlook a large amount of costs of cars. Roads cost almost as much as subways to build, but, somehow that's not part of our calculation of auto costs! Nor are the environmental costs of driving cars considered. In addition to building roads they have to be maintained. In upstate New York, where I lived for 22 years, the biggest expense in many small towns' budgets is gravel, salt, trucks and labor for keeping the roads clear in the winter. And, that doesn't include the maintenance cost of fixing the potholes. I wonder what the cost of building, maintaining, and keeping roads clear is for the country as a whole or on a percapita basis. Then, there's the amount of money we spend on cops and ambulances, etc.

I am enjoying taking the bus, partly because it allows for conversations with neighbors and colleagues!