Senate declines to cut welfare for billionaires

Senate blocks effort to end oil industry tax breaks - latimes.com: "WASHINGTON — The Senate blocked an effort to end billions of dollars in tax breaks for the oil industry, brushing aside President Obama's argument that the five big oil companies were doing "just fine" while consumers were struggling with painfully high gasoline prices."

'via Blog this'

Colleges prove fare-free transit saves money, trouble

Unlimited Access: "Universities and public transit agencies have together invented an arrangement—called Unlimited Access—that provides fare-free transit service for over 825,000 people at more than fifty colleges and universities throughout the United States. The university typically pays the transit agency an annual lump sum based on expected student ridership, and students simply show their university identification to board the bus. "
...

• University officials reported that Unlimited Access reduces parking demand, increases students’ access to the campus, helps to recruit and retain students, and reduces the cost of attending college.
• Transit agencies reported that Unlimited Access increases ridership, fills empty seats, improves transit service, and reduces the operating cost per rider.
• The universities’ average cost for Unlimited Access was $30 per student per year.
• Student transit ridership increased between 71 percent and 200 percent during the first year of Unlimited Access, and continued to increase between 2 percent and 10 percent per year in subsequent years.

Read whole article here: http://www.its.ucla.edu/research/UA/index.cfm

The MPGe Scam - Death by Car

  The MPGe Scam - Death by Car: "The way in which the MPGe rating is calculated is battery-to-wheels only, meaning that it excludes from consideration the very large losses to heat and resistance in the generation and transmission of electricity. "

'via Blog this'

Gas sends Angelenos flocking to mass transit | abc7.com

Gas sends Angelenos flocking to mass transit | abc7.com: "Baker says he spends about $18 roundtrip on trains every day, but that it's cheaper than gas.
...
For other passengers, mass transit isn't only cheaper, it's just more convenient."

'via Blog this'