The Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at USF is supposed to be objective, and help determine policy based on facts. Directors of the project and other researchers even sit on policy-driving task forces and commissions.
However, the St. Pete Times says CUTR has become decidedly anti-rail – ever since Jeb Bush took office, and wonder if CUTR’s stance is based on money they receive from Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) initiatives, and other pro-road organizations:
Since 2003, the DOT has paid CUTR $26 million to study and advise on everything from toll roads to road rangers to drug abuse — but not passenger rail.
There is much more to this – read One of rail’s biggest critics gets millions to study and promote alternatives in the St. Pete Times.
Bob Ross
9 months ago
So the question is, are our public officials corrupt, stupid or merely inattentive?
STEVEN TAMAYO
9 months ago
cant wait till tampa gets rail and all you fatasses start walking around from the stations; it will become the worlds stinkiest city
the seats on the train will probably have little puddles at the bottoms of the seats
Michelle
9 months ago
If the DOT had paid CUTR to study rail, don’t you think they would have studied it?
tom
9 months ago
The St. Pete Times article kept talking about Charlotte’s ridership being better than expected, but shied away from the question of whether it was still a financial black hole. That was the issue the CUTR folks raised. Is rail the best place to put transit money? St. Pete Times has its own agenda on this, it seems.
Keith
7 months ago
There is no stoping America’s love affair with the Personal Car.(Original PC) They have been picking cars(and airplanes) over passenger trains for 100 years.
And the cars of the 21st century are going to be better than ever. With the Computer Chip the cars will first become collisionless. After that they will form into “Autotrains” eliminating traffic jams and allowing larger cars to get 100+ miles per gallon.
Trains are going to continue to be second rate transportaion that few will choose. After riding it once, most will choose the car therafter!