Groxie

Recently, two experiences got me thinking about the poor state of our rail system in this country.

We had a visitor from Germany who was traveling across America by rail. She was frustrated by the constant delays, unhelpful station staff, and lack of connection between the rail and bus systems. She was amazed that she hadn’t heard more people complaining about this, until I explained to her that most Americans don’t use the trains that often.

This weekend, I had to travel up to Boston for a job interview. I looked at taking a train, bus, or airplane. Obviously the flight was faster, but it was also over $100 less than taking the train or bus.

I like to vote with my wallet, but I am still constrained by my finances. Instead of buying $150 organic jeans, I opt for the $3 Goodwill ones. But in the case of long–distance travel, there isn’t a cheap, eco-friendly option for us yet. Not only is taking the train or bus more expensive, but in many cases it will require taking extra time off of work—a double burden for travelers, especially hourly workers.

A quick look at a couple of trips makes these discrepancies clear. Here are the costs and times for a round trip via different transport:

• Washington D.C. to New York City, December 1-6
  • Airplane: $105, 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Train: $134, 3 hours 35 minutes
  • Bus: $69, 8 hours 40 minutes
• Chicago to Los Angeles, December 1-6
  • Airplane: $207, 4 hours 34 minutes
  • Train: $280, 3 days 13 hours 35 minues
  • Bus: $240, 4 days 6 hours 20 minutes

Billions in subsidies to struggling airlines allow them to keep their prices low, while taxpayers unknowingly shoulder the burden. If we’re already paying extra taxes to prop up the airlines, why not take advantage of the lower fares? Until the government ends these outlandish subsidies and evens out the playing field for trains and buses, consumers with limited resources will be forced to opt for the least eco-friendly option. What’s a girl to do?

Honestly, I’m not sure. I’m setting aside an hour to send off a quick letter to my Congressmen (current and soon-to-be) and the Secretary of Transportation. Responsible Travel has an interesting article about the pros and cons of air travel, but I need more solutions. Any other ideas?