Cato Podcast Streetcars Won't Solve Any of Your City's Problems
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Jun 29, 2024 Urban transportation expert Marc Joffe discusses the limited benefits and high costs of streetcars, highlighting how they prioritize politics over practicality. He explores the financial implications of streetcars in cities like St. Louis and San Francisco, comparing them to buses and cable cars. Joffe also talks about the potential benefits of privatizing streetcars for efficiency and profitability.
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Streetcars Replace Short Trips Not Commuting
- Streetcars mainly serve short downtown trips and often replace walking or micromobility rather than commutes.
- Many lines are only 2–4 miles long (D.C. example 2.4 miles), so waiting and low frequency make them slow and underused.
High Per Ride Operating Subsidy
- Operating subsidies for streetcars are large: about $10 per ride in FY2022 on average.
- That figure excludes capital construction costs, so total taxpayer burden is substantially higher.
Loop Trolley And San Francisco Cable Car Example
- The Loop Trolley in St. Louis had astronomic subsidies: about $153 per trip, reflecting extreme underuse.
- San Francisco's cable car is treated as a tourist attraction with high fares ($8) but still loses money.