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NYC's new rat-killing weapon is wildly successful – for now

businessinsider.com

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Re: NYC's new rat-killing weapon is wildly successful – for now

#91

Post by paleotrope »

FFP999 wrote: post #68
kibwen wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And yet Boston's MBTA is still one of the top 5 best transit systems in the country, which is saying something. (Fun fact: Boston's red/orange/blue lines are also the most cost-efficient transit system in the US, as measured by farebox recovery ratio.)

The T's FRR is the highest in the country: all of 30% or so. So it doesn't come close to giving acceptable service _or_ paying for itself. The basic problem with the T is that it's a state agency. By which I mean, it depends on the support of the entire Massachusetts legislature, and if you are a legislator representing a district in western Mass, funding the T is a hard sell. Your constituents are going to be worrie…

"turn transit operations over to a new agency that's funded and run by only Boston-area communities who actually can point to a direct benefit from T service."

How would they pay for it? It's set up the way it is for a reason.

Re: NYC's new rat-killing weapon is wildly successful – for now

#92

Post by FFP999 »

paleotrope wrote: post #91
FFP999 wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The T's FRR is the highest in the country: all of 30% or so. So it doesn't come close to giving acceptable service _or_ paying for itself. The basic problem with the T is that it's a state agency. By which I mean, it depends on the support of the entire Massachusetts legislature, and if you are a legislator representing a district in western Mass, funding the T is a hard sell. Your constituents are going to be worrie…

"turn transit operations over to a new agency that's funded and run by only Boston-area communities who actually can point to a direct benefit from T service." How would they pay for it? It's set up the way it is for a reason.

How does a government pay for anything? Taxes.

Re: NYC's new rat-killing weapon is wildly successful – for now

#93

Post by logicalmonster »

Ericson2314 wrote: post #90
logicalmonster wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you know everybody's needs? Some people do need a car for work, healthcare, education, living with disabilities, or many other reasons not mentioned.

How do you? Why the assumption that public transit cannot fulfill the needs of the vast majority of people? Perhaps there is some tiny fraction that needs a care. Well, there would be enough on-street parking left for them. What is far more common is the a bunch of people that don't need cars hide behind the mythical empathetic car-dependent person.

First you said "You don't need a car to have a family in NYC" and now you're talking about "the vast majority of people". Which is it? Your thesis is changing.

Re: NYC's new rat-killing weapon is wildly successful – for now

#94

Post by cantSpellSober »

yostrovs wrote: post #15
notjustanymike wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Trash cans aren't viable because of shortcomings in our infrastructure; we don't have alleyways. Large apartment buildings use dumpsters or basement trash rooms, but you can't exactly cart those out on to the sidewalk. Street side pickup is the only option barring rebuilding the city, and a garbage man isn't picking up an entire trash can. Having a truck pick up the garbage can would also encounter issues with space…

You forgot to mention the union of garbage men that fights against any kind of gains of efficiency. You could have easy-open small dumpsters that are found all over Europe, but that would take work away from a couple guys throwing bags of garbage into the truck.

Any real-world examples of the NYC sanitation doing this? Or just a generic "unions bad" comment?
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