|
|||
|
» Visit the Official NARP Website Ways Without MeansThursday, July 02, 2009Food for thought on one of the busiest travel holidays of the year.
As we head into one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, when many will face slow going on the roads and crowded flights, it is a good time to remind ourselves just how much work is needed to make our society as mobile as it could be. Despite a small drop in gas prices, USA Today reports in a cover story that the country is in the midst of “the longest and steepest decline in driving since the invention of the automobile.” Since last November, the drop in vehicle miles traveled on American thoroughfares is akin to “taking between 8 million and 10 million drivers off the road.” Much of this may be due to the state of the economy, which is forcing many to forego travel or adjust their plans, but the article also notes the increasing number of Americans opting for less car-dependent lifestyles. It makes one wonder if we would be better able to weather this recession if we had a smart transportation strategy, one that provided real choices and made getting around safer and more affordable, accessible and enjoyable for all. Motor vehicles alone will not be able to provide the mobility people are demanding in a way that enhances our quality of life. Fortunately, the woeful state of American mobility is receiving long-overdue attention in Washington. But, as The Economist notes (and NARP has been pointing out for some time), the main well of money for transportation improvements is about to run dry, and we don’t have a viable plan for replenishing it. A set of worthy goals has been written, but the Obama Administration wants to borrow from the General Fund to pay for them, a desire confirmed in a document released by DOT this week (see Hotline #611, 3rd story). Tapping into the Treasury for such consistent expenditures is highly unsustainable in the long run as it adds to the defecit and relies on the whims of Congressional appropriators. The Administration says it needs more time to figure out a sustainable long-term funding mechanism that will also repay the loans from the General Fund. Congress has given us “cash for clunkers,” yet we struggle to find the cash to overhaul our ‘clunker’ of a transportation system. If we don’t get on track (literally and figuratively) to a robust and sustainable system now, all Americans will continue to pay a higher price: as travelers, consumers and taxpayers. It’s up to all of us as citizens and voters to give our leaders the political will to do what needs to be done. We must pay a little more now to build the safe, efficient, multi-modal mobility network we deserve in order to avoid a great deal of pain later. —Malcolm Kenton Posted by NARPTags: advocacy, affordable, driving, economy, funding, gasoline, highway trust fund, politics, recession, transportation, travel,Flag Stops: Limited Resources EditionTuesday, July 07, 2009Good news from Washington and Oregon, not-so-good news from New York and Florida, and more subsidies for automobile use, both explicit and disguised.
—Malcolm Kenton and Ross Capon Posted by NARPTags: adirondack, advocacy, amtrak, auto industry, budget, cars, disney, monorail, new york, oregon, rail, seattle, shortfall, streetcar, subsidies, trains, vancouver, vermont,NARP Reaches Out at Green FestivalFriday, October 16, 2009As part of our ongoing effort to spread the word about our work and its timeliness to receptive audiences, NARP exhibited a booth at what is billed as “the nation’s premier sustainability event.” The Green Festival, now in its seventh year in four US cities, was held October 10th and 11th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington. Thousands were in attendance over the course of the exposition, which featured over 350 exhibitors, primarily vendors of a variety of Earth-friendly products. NARP’s booth featured large posters showing how unsustainable the US transportation system is, proclaiming trains’ environmental benefits, and giving reasons for becoming a member of the Association. Copies of our brochures and the August/September issue of our newsletter were on hand and were well-received. Eleven NARP members from the Washington area volunteered to staff the booth. Each enjoyed the chance to talk to others about passenger trains and why more of them are needed, and partook of the Festival’s exciting atmosphere. Twelve passers-by signed up for membership, while a host of others said they would join online. While the Green Festival was a high-caliber event with a significant price tag, there are festivals and fairs in almost every community in the country that welcome nonprofits to host a table, tent or booth either free or at low cost. We encourage those of you who would like to improve NARP’s publicity and boost membership to participate in these kinds of events. Our staff will help you get prepared, answer your questions, and send you materials to display and hand out. Spending an afternoon sharing with others the reasons why you are committed to bringing more and better passenger trains to the US is both fun and satisfying. Small organizations get bigger primarily through word-of-mouth. Anything you can do in your spare time to advance our cause is greatly appreciated. Click “Read More” to see a few photos of NARP’s Green Festival volunteers and our display. —Malcolm Kenton Posted by Malcolm KentonTags: activism, advocacy, booth, display, environment, festival, green, membership, outreach, sustainability, table, volunteers,Grassroots Pressure Gets ResultsWednesday, March 10, 2010Friends of the Cardinal, a route support group composed of active train advocates (many of whom are NARP members) based in Charleston, West Virginia, issued the release below today. The story of the introduction and passage of Senate Bill 527 in the West Virginia legislature is a great model for grassroots advocacy—showing what we are all capable of, with a little time and energy, as citizens in a republic.
Friends of the Cardinal, particularly Riecks and Bonni McKewon, participated in the legislative process from start to finish, corresponding with nearly every legislator and calling upon other West Virginians to contact their Representative and Senator. As soon as Gov. Manchin signs the bill into law, the state Department of Transportation will begin work on the rail plan, an essential first step towards better train service in the state and a process in which NARP and Friends of the Cardinal will continue to be involved. With a strong plan and agreements with Amtrak, MARC and the host railroads in place, West Virgnia stands a much better chance of winning future federal funds to improve existing service and potentially to add new routes. Check out this video of the passage on the House floor. —Malcolm Kenton
Posted by Malcolm KentonTags: accomplishment, advocacy, grassroots, improvement, legislature, lobbying, passenger trains, rail plan, senate, victory, west virginia,©2009 National Association of Railroad Passengers | » NARP website |
» Recent Entries» Blogroll» Terms of Service for CommentsYou may register to post comments in response to NARP-generated postings on the Blog. By registering you agree 1) that all comments will be relevant to the respective posting and 2) not to post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening, or that violate any laws. We reserve the right to permanently block postings from any user who does not abide by the above terms. NARP reserves the right to remove, edit, or move any messages for any reason. » Monthly Archives |
||