Long-time (former) resident of NYC here (25+yrs) -- almost everyone I knew in NYC was open to using mass public transit, which is pretty impressive compared to what I heard in other cities. So in theory a congestion tax would work well...except...the NYC subway system has deteriorated precipitously over the past 4 years to the extent where you almost
have to drive, especially on nights/weekends/evenings
I'd support a congestion tax if there was a way to avoid cars (in fact, i dislike both the concept and the task of driving)...but a congestion tax is just a regressive exclusion tax if mass transit does not work. In NYC mass transit does-not-work on weekends/evenings/nights.
Those not familiar with the decline of NYC transit can read this:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/18/nyregion/new-york-subway-...
Here is a real example with evidence from two weekends ago when I was in NYC:
PICTURE EVIDENCE: https://imgur.com/a/p4JCaPP
EVIDENCE NOTE 1: Monitor claiming F trains would arrive
EVIDENCE NOTE 2: Sign contradicting what monitor says
EVIDENCE NOTE 3: Monitor and Sign side-by-side
I used the MTA Subway Time app and it also claimed F trains were on their way, these were obviously fake schedule data rather than real prospective arrivals data. So if you used the MTA Subway Time, you'd wait forever. This also suggests to me that perhaps some of the historical on-time uptime/arrival stats are fake as well.
Now, given this level of dysfunction...would you risk a subway ride or just take a car/uber/lyft?
I'd support a congestion tax if there was a way to avoid cars (in fact, i dislike both the concept and the task of driving)...but a congestion tax is just a regressive exclusion tax if mass transit does not work. In NYC mass transit does-not-work on weekends/evenings/nights.
Those not familiar with the decline of NYC transit can read this: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/18/nyregion/new-york-subway-...
Here is a real example with evidence from two weekends ago when I was in NYC:
PICTURE EVIDENCE: https://imgur.com/a/p4JCaPP
EVIDENCE NOTE 1: Monitor claiming F trains would arrive
EVIDENCE NOTE 2: Sign contradicting what monitor says
EVIDENCE NOTE 3: Monitor and Sign side-by-side
I used the MTA Subway Time app and it also claimed F trains were on their way, these were obviously fake schedule data rather than real prospective arrivals data. So if you used the MTA Subway Time, you'd wait forever. This also suggests to me that perhaps some of the historical on-time uptime/arrival stats are fake as well.
Now, given this level of dysfunction...would you risk a subway ride or just take a car/uber/lyft?