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> Any implication that public transition should be profitable is pernicious. Really, or is it a failure of the western cities to run profitable, efficient and
by csomar 6y ago
> Any implication that public transition should be profitable is pernicious.
Really, or is it a failure of the western cities to run profitable, efficient and ,eh, clean transport networks. Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore are running private, profitable and efficient metros for a much cheaper fare than what other cities can do.
The reality is that these massive infrastructure projects have turned into huge embezzlement schemes of public funds from different players (politicians, consultants, unions, etc...); and they are holding the public hostage: Otherwise, are you going to stop/disrupt public transportation?
- TazeTSchnitzel 6y agoJapan's systems were privatised after they were built. Would they be as successful if they were private from the beginning?
- csomar 6y agoI don't think the success of private/public is a universal thing and probably depend on how low corruption the government is. A metro system has to be bootstrapped by the government at the end of the day, to be able to appropriate of some private lands you are going through.
- pydry 6y agoThey're successful because they own the land around the stations. This is where all the real money is made. In most other countries that land was sold off and somebody else (e.g. private equity) profits.
- Retric 6y agoYour facts are incorrect. Singapore's MRT subway lines are constructed and the assets owned by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), a government entity. Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation (Toei Subway) is owned by the government of Tokyo. MTR Corporation Limited which runs Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is a majority state-owned Hong Kong company (75.09%).
- refurb 6y ago“are constructed and the assets owned by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), who allocates operating concessions to two for-profit private corporations, namely SMRT and SBS Transit.” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapor... Singapore loves competition. The public hospitals are, well, public, but were restructured to compete with each other more like private businesses.