THE BIG OIL SQUEEZE AND MASS TRANSIT

The need is indicated for a unified energy policy, and one of the first sectors targeted for change by policymakers is transportation. The price of oil is seen as an incentive for mass transport must, however, be considered carefully and always on a benefit-cost basis. Not only is an increase in efficiency of the automobile called for, but also a reduction in its reliance by improving transportation alternatives. The latter could be realized by building or upgrading subways, reviving tracked trolley systems, making bus routes speedier and more flexible, and curbing unneeded expressway construction. Selling the services to the public would call for price incentives, and advertising. To upgrade the quality of the transit systems, a reevaluation of the cost accounting for automobile transportation would be necessary. The federal government, it is expected, will push rigorously with efforts to increase the use of carpools and mass transit. A conservation program which relies on the voluntary reduction of unnecessary driving and turning the automobile into a mass transit vehicle is put forward, and the opinion is expressed that for the bulk of U.S. cities, the mass transit solution lies in better bus systems and better traffic management than in massive hardware building programs.