Privatization of Mass Transit
Schabarum is wrong. Historically, privatization of any transit system has proven devastating. In the hands of private carriers, transit system motives are like those of any other business, profits first and the public be damned. If they can’t make a profit, safety will go out the window.
Most of the governments throughout the world, except in the United States, have fine, efficient, well-run transit systems, local and countrywide. They are publicly funded by their governments. They are losing propositions, but that is the nature of a transit system, because it is for the people, not for for the profit of stockholders.
Private carriers in this country have poor safety records because they are profit-oriented, not safety-oriented. Privatization is supposed to be a magic word, it is not.
HOWARD A. SAMUELS
Northridge
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