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I think the reason we see more EPA tractors is that parents choose to pay for an EPA tractor rather than spend the time to drive their kids to sports/after-scho

by belorn 5y ago

I think the reason we see more EPA tractors is that parents choose to pay for an EPA tractor rather than spend the time to drive their kids to sports/after-school jobs and then spend the time again to pick them up. It might also be related to the fact that both parents are more likely to be working today than in the past, thus less time available for driving the kids around. In addition, the public transportation system has been steadily declining in the last 30 years. If I remember right, they even removed laws some time in the early 2000s that required public bus service in remote areas. I also recall that it wasn't that uncommon for lines to be usually empty or with just a handful of passengers, but this was part of the costs of having an available public mass transportation system. They also combined the then national postal service with bus service so that those mostly empty buses provided a secondary service of transporting mail.

CRConrad 5y ago
> It might also be related to the fact that both parents are more likely to be working today than in the past, thus less time available for driving the kids around. I don't think so: Back in the days when Mum was more likely to be a housewife, families were also much more likely to possess only one car, rather than two. And that one car was parked outside Dad's job during the workday, so Mum couldn't drive the kids anywhere unless Dad was around to do it himself anyway.
- belorn 5y ago
  I can see the argument for that, but having grown up in the rural areas of Sweden, almost everyone had two cars. Usually one half-decent and a second much less so. This also don't account for tractors. A crappy car that cost around or less than $1000, standing there for the primary reason that two adults with children has an occasional use for a secondary car.
  - CRConrad 5y ago
    You must have grown up a good while after I did, or in a more prosperous area. (Södra Dalarna, 1970-/tidigt 80-tal.)

by belorn 5y ago

CRConrad 5y ago

> It might also be related to the fact that both parents are more likely to be working today than in the past, thus less time available for driving the kids around. I don't think so: Back in the days when Mum was more likely to be a housewife, families were also much more likely to possess only one car, rather than two. And that one car was parked outside Dad's job during the workday, so Mum couldn't drive the kids anywhere unless Dad was around to do it himself anyway.

belorn 5y ago
I can see the argument for that, but having grown up in the rural areas of Sweden, almost everyone had two cars. Usually one half-decent and a second much less so. This also don't account for tractors. A crappy car that cost around or less than $1000, standing there for the primary reason that two adults with children has an occasional use for a secondary car.
- CRConrad 5y ago
  You must have grown up a good while after I did, or in a more prosperous area. (Södra Dalarna, 1970-/tidigt 80-tal.)