Public Transportation

Comment this Week has been replete with discussion of American Car companies cutting their Production schedules. The basic reason: Retail Gas station Sales reached 10% of Consumer purchases (in truth, this Author awaits the revised numbers as it seems large). It still portends depressed Sales for the SUV/Pickup lines loved by the Big Three for their enlarged Profit Margins--if they can be sold. There is the Problem!

This transition has been long in coming, Americans intent on overspending their Incomes; Many falling into the practice of drafting equity from their Homes for Consumption. Now the Housing market is falling, and large reductions in Consumption can be estimated. Business is trying to find a format where they can continue to turn a Profit in the new environment, Households attempt to reduce Monthly expenditures, and rural areas (who have not matched the Pay increases of the urban areas) struggle to meet the increased Energy bills with their own longer routeing.

Car dealers should consider getting into the modified Public Transportation business. It is time to utilize all those excess SUVs and underemployed Salesmen and Mechanics. They need to attempt to capture the Commuter traffic! Advertisement could fill SUVs with Employees who are offered cheap transportation to and from Work. They could also fill SUVs with Shoppers with the addition of Carry-all trailers. Car dealers must evolve in Transportation networks which do not ignore Those who cannot pay for their own new vehicles.

Fuel can be saved with announcement of Timed Routes in Area pickups, but with Curbside service; requiring only telephoned, short notice. Little old ladies (I should not be Gender-specific) will flock to Transportation with a Driver willing to carry bags and packages. Reduced traffic during Rush Hour will not only save Time, but also Gas. Many assigned Drivers can be switched to their Day-jobs of Salesmen and Mechanics during Showroom hours. It will be easy to cut Gas consumption to One-Third that of Individual transportation even with Curbside service, and individual radio and CD sets with Earphones per seat will achieve demand for the Service. People must get inventive in the midst of Recessions. lgl