Cox Crow
Asking the Stupid Questions Since 1971
Wednesday, February 04, 2004Speaking of the Costs of Commuting
Senate Panel OKs $56.5B for Mass Transit:
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal spending to modernize mass transit rail systems for big cities won approval Wednesday from the Senate Banking Committee as part of a $56.5 billion bill for public transit programs over the next six years.
The spending, some $20 billion over the current six-year program, is part of a $318 billion highway and infrastructure bill already on the Senate floor.
....
The Senate bill is S. 1072
(Haven't found permalinks, yet, so this link will decay. Well, if it's from yesterday's paper, it's not news.)
In the Northeast, TransitChek reallocates some of the costs of commuting, moreso if you use public transit. However, nothing pays for our time on the road.
5:51:35 PM # Google It!
categories: Place
The Cost of My Time
Ascription is an anathema to any enthusiasm points to an excellent post on commuting as a means of shifting the costs of shopping or working to me. While I'd rather not increase those costs, we are considering moving further upstate. Perhaps if my employer realized the costs of commuting, then we could work from home.
If, as I'll argue below, most travel should be regarded as being in the same economic category as working and if, as the stats linked above imply, Americans spend about twice as much time travelling as Australians, then reducing travel times to the Australian level would be equivalent to a productivity improvement of between 12 and 15 per cent.
Here's a pair of hypothetical questions.
Suppose someone working at home were to take a shower, slip, and fall. Would that person, falling in their shower, at their house, while allegedly working from home, be entitled to compensation from the employer for the injury?
Suppose someone driving safely to work, slides on the ice, and crashes into a tree. Would that person be entitled to compensation from the employer for the injury?
In which of the two cases is the individual really on their own time?
5:38:34 PM # Google It!
categories: Law, Place
Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge
Say no more; say no more!
Tauzin May Become Pharmaceutical Lobbyist [via The Associated Press (RSS)]
Jenny, you'll want to use this.
3:35:23 PM # Google It!
