Trucks and Congestion
In his article “Keep on Trucking--at Nighttime” (Commentary, Dec. 11), Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley states that a city with limited land has three options to reduce traffic congestion. I would like to point out a fourth option: Rush-hour traffic congestion can be reduced by eliminating jobs!
Rush hour is caused by people going to work. We can stop commuters from clogging our streets during rush hour by eliminating their jobs. Let’s continue to pass regulations that raise the cost of doing business in Los Angeles.
Add these to the regulatory nightmare that California businesses face today and factor in a workers’ compensation system that costs far more than most other states.
Then businesses like mine, which employ more than 500 people, will make good business decisions: to operate in an environment that is more conducive to their success.
Bradley’s proposal will provide one more reason for the continued flight of manufacturing firms from Southern California. The proposal directly targets major employers. Companies generating eight or more daytime shipments of heavy-duty trucks are clearly large businesses with high employment.
Bradley’s proposal could well reduce the amount of traffic on our freeways during rush hour--but not for the reason he thinks.
ALAN WIENER, Los Angeles
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