The Stigma of Mass Transit

We in Western New York are an odd bunch.  When we think of metro buses, the first thing that generally comes to mind is "poor people with no cars".  I think that's a major reason why very little attention is paid to the NFTA, unless it involves the airport or the canal side.

I've been commuting 20 miles round trip per day for the last 3 or 4 months.  When I first started taking the bus, I assumed I was going to be surrounded by the dregs of society.  I was going to be the only white-collar guy on the bus, clutching my laptop, making sure nobody ran off with it.  Welfare moms picking up their checks, and drug dealers using the bus as a mobile spot to deal their wares.  Basically, I expected to see pretty much of type of leech on the system; concentrated into one place.

What I encountered was far different.  What I encountered were normal people, who might not make as much money as I, going to and from work.  The worst I've seen is people kicking back some vodka or whiskey, while on the way home from work.  I saw at least one person who makes the same, if not more than I.

I saw those people who make a fraction of what I make, leaving their houses at 6AM, and seeing them on their way back home at around 5PM (That's an 11 hour day, FYI).  They are not lazy, scum-sucking leeches of the system.  They are hard working people, trying to make a dime, or just taking the bus to save some money (Like me), or just trying to do something a little more environmentally conscious than driving their 2 MPG SUV 20 miles round trip to work every day.

Now, this got me to thinking:  Since the NFTA is rather convenient for many, and for many the only way they'd be able to get to work; when it's reducing the amount of traffic on our roads; when it's further reducing emissions by switching to hybrid vehicles;  Why is the NFTA largely ignored?

This past restructuring was the only major change done to our mass transit system in many years.  But, even still, it wasn't really a big change.  Some "duh" items, like getting rid of the 4 zones, transfers, et al.  Basically, all the vestiges of the WNY mass transit system's patchwork past.

But, 10 years after starting the bike rack program, STILL not every bus has a rack.  There is STILL no easy way to get from Depew to Williamsville via bus (You have to go downtown, then back out to Depew)...  There are no circumscribing routes.

This is a ridiculous state of affairs.  When we know that the vast majority of passengers using mass transit are workers, why can we not build a system that is conducive to efficient movements of labor?  This is one of the biggest things killing our area.  We have a huge labor pool, but the costs of getting to your work (in some cases) larger than what you can gain.  This restricts free labor movement.

If we want to improve our employment figures, we need to make it as easy as possible for labor to go to their jobs, wherever they may be.  And, to do this (Since we can't force car and gas prices lower) we need to improve our mass transit system.  It doesn't need to be on par with NYC or Chicago, but it surely needs to be much better than what it is today.

I don't think I'm at the position as of yet to think that this is a concerted effort to keep the middle and lower classes constrained as slave labor, but I'm getting there.  With the concerted fight across our nation against light-rail rapid transit (Which would accomplish the same goal:  Moving labor efficiently from point A to point B), and the concerted effort to maintain public subsidies on private jets; it's getting me closer and closer.  Is this part of the plan to turn us all into wage slaves?  By making it so difficult to get to other geographic areas, that we are forced to accept whatever wage our masters offer?

Tell me what you think?  Is this a concerted effort, or simple shortsightedness?

Buffalo Community Organization Highlights

I'm going to do a new "section" from now on in this blog:  Community Organization Highlights.  I'm going to highlight some of the great community groups we have here in Buffalo, working their arses off to make our city better, most of whom get $0 dollars from the government (Unlike Carl Paladino, and his ilk).  Imagine if we gave each of these organizations the same amount of money that we gave good ole Carl?

Green Options Buffalo

Green Options Buffalo is a community organization looking to move Buffalo to becoming a greener, more sustainable community.  And, to make our neighborhoods look nicer :)

Some of their projects are:

• Recycle-a-Bicycle: GO-Buffalo's Recycle-A-Bicycle program is an after school initiative for at-risk youth within the city of Buffalo, winning the “Bronze Commitment to Education” award from the Buffalo Alliance for Education in 2007. Recycle-A-Bicycle teaches up to 40 students per semester from Monday to Thursday. Through GO-Buffalo’s Recycle-A-Bicycle programs with Baker Victory Services, Bennett Park Montessori, Big Brother Big Sister, the Buffalo Youth Hostel, Enterprise Charter School, Harvey Austin Middle School, the Massachusetts Avenue Project, North Park Middle Academy and public schools 18, 27 and 77, students learn about bicycle repair and maintenance, as well as safety, health and the environment, while building their own bicycles from refurbished parts.
• Complete Streets: Complete Streets works to ensure that when a roadway is constructed or repaired in the City of Buffalo, equal consideration is given to commuters of all kinds – including bicyclists, pedestrians, public transportation users, children, people pushing baby strollers and the disabled.

As well as many other low-speed transportation initiatives, which can cut down on our reliance on fossil fuels, and also give us cleaner air.  In addition to the energy benefits of increased foot and bicycle traffic; we also get the beautification benefits.  Nice looking neighborhoods lead to increased property values, which leads to a more desirable place to live, which reduces unemployment.

Buffalo ReUse

Buffalo Reuse, Inc. is a non-profit organization focused on green deconstruction of eyesores, which does two things:  Keeps demolished building materials out of landfills, and also reduces the problem of blight.  From their site:

Buffalo ReUse, Inc. is committed to creating an economic and community development program related to deconstruction and re-use that provides quality job and educational opportunities; cross training in the trades, marketing, sales, and small business entrepreneurship; and a community collaboration process that considers both current and future use of our collective land resources

This organization has done much in the past to eliminate abandoned or neglected buildings, while also returning much of the antique architectural points of our city back into use (Such as building fixtures).  They operate both an brick and mortar store, and also an eBay store(http://www.buffaloreuse.org/ReSource/ReSource).

The Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP)

The Massachusetts Avenue Project (MAP) is essentially, a block club that has dedicated itself to urban gardening, and support local farmers through sponsorship of farmer's markets, classes, neighborhood gardens, neighborhood outreach programs to intervene in youth's before they turn to less than scrupulous affairs.

This group demonstrates, that with city cooperation, neighbors can be enabled to take their neighborhoods back from criminal elements.  Their work has made great strides in improving the culture and atmosphere of Massachusetts Avenue, in the Lower West Side.

Conclusion
All of these groups, draw very little in public dollars, but reinvest heavily into our community.  Try giving them some of your support next time you have a building project going on, are looking to add a bike rack or buy a bike, or even looking for support to turn to for advice on your garden.

Caylee Anthony... Sigh.

When hopping on Facebook and Twitter over the past couple of days, I've seen a whole lot of "Pass this on for Caylee..." or "Leave a light on for Caylee..."

Ok, I get it.  This was a tragedy, and as of right now, whomever the murderer is, he or she is walking the streets today.  It's senseless violence like this that appalls any sensible person.

But, for Western New Yorkers, did you notice that on July 4th, a woman (Ngoubdo Babagana) was gunned down, execution style in Black Rock(http://www.wkbw.com/home/Fatal-Shooting-On-Dearborn-In-Buffalo-125044989.html)?  Where are the cries for justice for Ngoubdo?  Or, about the other 10K+ murders annually here in the US?

I'm afraid, I must inform everyone:  You were duped by the mass media.  You fell for "Missing White Woman Syndome".  Pretty, well-off financially, white women who are the victims of crime tend to draw lots of national media attention, while non-whites, who are poor tend to draw little at all.

Case in point, that is local here:  Amanda Wienckowski.  You can find about 3 thousands news stories on her (http://www.google.com/search?q=amanda+weinckowski), but yet how many other prostitutes in WNY have been the victim of a crime?  The primary difference:  Her skin color, and her economic background.

But, I do NOT want to draw attention away from the violence here.  We should NOT stand idly by, and do nothing.  However, passing around some copy/paste on Facebook or Twitter; or leaving a porch light on will do naught for these children, nor for any children who may be in similar circumstances.

Do something that has an effect:  Find a charitable organization, and donate money, time, or both.  The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a good one.  So is the Dorris Duke Foundation.  You can find more here: http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=protect+children+from+child+abuse+foundations  (I can not vouch for individual organizations.  I don't know them all).  Don't just sit on your duff, and participate in Slacktivism...