Chicago Transit chair got blogging inspiration in a bar

I think Carole Brown is a pioneer, and more elected officials should follow here lead. Blogs are the perfect tool for dialogue with constituents about important public policy issues. Every local government should implement a blog to inform AND involve their citizens.

What a wonderful idea! She read about customer concerns and used a blog to quickly connect with people. She could have just as easily written a snarky, aloof op-ed in response, then ignore the rabble. But Carole Brown engaged the critics and had a conversation with them.

She's certainly earned the respect of a lot of us here in Chicago, for her unusual candor at her blog, and her willingness to let critical comments appear.

I haven't noticed things improving at the CTA just because Ms Brown has a blog. I wonder how much we're paying someone to blog for her.

It seems fairly unfair that the rates are going to go up by people who likely do not even ride the transit. I mean think about the environmental impact if we actually had trains and subways that worked and were more expansive and effective. I am not asserting some big conspiracy, but it seems odd that given the positive impact both on the environment and increasing the transportation and likely attractiveness of living in a city. Imagine if LA had mass transit that was both effective and useful, better yet buses and subways that were expansive and people gained some benefit from using them. It seems that we give tax credits in the thousands for green cars, why not for using public transit? does it seem that odd that the government encourage public transit by granting pseudo tax subsidies to companies that actually encourage and promote the use of public transit to get to work.

Returning to the main point, it seems a bit unfair to raise fairs and then simply sit down and wait for the sky to fall to resolve a problem for a transit system that really acts and operates as the nerve center for the great city of Chicago. Why don’t the students promote public transit? It seems odd that people are always willing to provide and promote driving directions, but there seems to be resistance to adopting green transit options for companies. I mean take Kaplan they do not provide transit directions to their centers even though most people are students and a large portion non-US citizens so non-drivers.

Anyone have any thoughts on this issue? Why does the public not take a stand and insist that companies like Kaplan, Columbia University , museums, local government offices, and other provide transit directions. Do they think that all Americans have cars? I mean a transit tool for them to embed directions on their own website just like map quest is available. What about the politicians? It seems just unjust and unfair for the public to not demand that website provide transit directions and driving directions. I mean one pollutes less, provide a way for those less fortunate to get somewhere and a bunch of other great benefits.

David Smith