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Road, rail, air, water, pipeline or space transport is a key aspect of the American society and also other world societies. There are many human utilities that are constantly moved around in the country to reach out to the people, purpose and places of want. Transport affects the everyday life of each American in various diverse ways. The United States Federal Government has over the years been in charge of infrastructure of the country. It is important to note that transport infrastructure includes all the factors and structures of the transport system. The seaports, airports, bicycle paths. Pedestrian walkways, canals, bridges, street lights and transit systems like subways and bus terminals are also put into consideration. The domestic transportation in the America has gone through radical advancements and setbacks. This paper intends to focus on the resolution proposed to the federal government to introduce reforms in the domestic transport infrastructure. There will be detailed discussion of the prevailing transport policies and their pros and cons. The paper will then create a link between the citizens welfare to the status of the transport industry, outlining and correcting the areas that need reforms.
This proposition is simply like a motion regarding the importance of the federal government involvement in the improvement of the domestic transport sector for the better good of the Americans. Recently, America hosted its sixty ninth elections and part of the presidential manifesto by President Obama was related to transport. As our society becomes more mobile and interconnected, the need for 21stcentury transportation networks has never been greater. However, too many of our nations railways, highways, bridges, airports, and neighborhood streets are slowly decaying due to lack of investment and strategic long term planning. Barack Obama believes that Americas long-term competitiveness depends on the stability of our critical infrastructure. As president, Obama will make strengthening our transportation systems, including our roads and bridges, a top priority. Barack Obama and Joe Biden will enter into a new partnership with state and local civic, political, and business leaders to enact a truly national infrastructure policy that recognizes that we must upgrade our infrastructure to meet the demands of a growing population, a changing economy, and our short and long-term energy challenges. (ObamaBiden Manifesto 1). In the latter statement the then presidential candidate President Obama acknowledges that there are great reforms that need to be made in the transport industry. The above statement will jump start the debate regarding the urgency of reforms in the domestic transport infrastructure sector. The pressing problems of the sector are recurrent and common to all states in the country. This problems as stated in the text include the high cost of fuel, security and safety on the road, congestion on the road that often leads to traffic jam. Pollution of the environment through the vehicles emission and noise from the hooting of vehicles is a problem yet to be tackled. During rush hours the traffic jams are usually a lot to the point that most individuals are inconvenienced.
America has a transportation problem. And were not just talking about traffic during rush hour. Motor fuel demand in the United States totals 11 million barrels per day, roughly equal to Americas daily crude oil imports (Mara 1). There is an energy crisis in America since there is a high demand for gas yet the supply is not enough. This has lead to debates on the use of alternative energy sources. Some of the sources that would appropriately replace the use of gas are electricity and nuclear energy. Dr. Ehlig-Economides says, We hope to draw attention to electrifying transportation through electric and dual-mode vehicles that can use their own power on conventional roads but that are equipped to draw their power from the road when traveling on electrified guide ways (Mara 1). The alternative would not only aid in the global fight for the conservation of the environment but also help relieve an economy that has been undergoing a lot of pressure and financial instability.
The key actors in this sector are United States Federal Government, Local governments and the state itself at large. The three collude together to ensure that all that needs to be done in the domestic transport sector does get done. For the state to address the transport sector problems of the local government they must get valid information and reports from the local governments which are closer I terms of reach of the society as compared to the state. There have been many policies and strategies that have been passed by the state to increase efficiency in the transport sector. This strategic plan includes projects that aim at either attaining developmental goals or improving the status of the residents of the beneficiary location. A sample project is the 100 days plan to begin work on rehabilitation and improvement projects at 98 Airports and over 1,500 Highway Locations throughout the Country. This is because the nations transportation system is vital to our economic growth and efficiency. Congested airports and crippled roadways stifle this growth. Recovery Act funds will assist with construction of additional airport runways to increase capacity as well as the repaving of our nations roads to increase travel efficiency. These actions will enable more growth in the 21st Century. (The white house 1) In this text extract the speaker recognizes transport problems such as congestion at terminals and on the roads, the poor use of roadways due to the rapid growth of towns and states. The problem of low air transport capacity is also acknowledged. The speakers also links up economy growth to transport hence creating the basis to argue that the federal government out to create reforms that will see domestic transport bloom and hence the economy.
In conclusion, we note that the economy is still facing a hard hit brought about by the recent recession. For there to be great change there must be intentions by the state and federal government and other key players in the sector to improve the sector. The problem the sector faces includes congestion, shortage of gas, security and small capacity of transport facilities. The actors have come up with policies and plans to solve this and any other anticipated problems. Such plans include acts set to meet the developmental goals of the state. You know, it all adds up to this, in my view at least: the Recovery Act has played a significant role in changing the trajectory of our economy, and changing the conversation about the economy in this country. Instead of talking about the beginning of a depression, were talking about the end of a recession eight months after taking office. (Biden 1). The act is a key strategy to ensure the transport industry grows. The transportation industry is vital to the nations economy. The industry employs millions of workers each year, and other industries depend on it to transport the materials and workers on which these industries depend. The transportation industry is projected to experience substantial growth in total employment, providing career opportunities in a range of occupations. (The U.S. Department of Labor 31).Another similar statement is we have the 2000th transportation project now underway thats going to help create jobs, make it easier for folks to get to the jobs they have, and improve our nations infrastructure all at the same time. (Biden, par.1) It is therefore valid to say that the federal government should step into the matter of developing the transport industry at the domestic level to curb the economic gaps of the states.
Arguments Against
America as a country has large masses of people to transport in the domestic level. The cost of maintaining such a transport system is quiet high. The federal government has a role to set up policies that will ensure the transport needs are catered to. The advocacy of the resolution that the federal government should create reforms in the domestic transportation sector is a vague assumption that the federal government is the sole party in the running of the transport sector. The neglect of the responsibility of citizens as equal stakeholders in the sector is very prevalent. This paper will focus on the aspect of the resolution that the federal government has to make reforms for domestic transport as totally irrelevant. The paper will strongly disagree with the advocate for the resolutions point of view while show casing what has been already done.
A window of opportunity for changes in transportation policy is opening in the United States& These opportunities require political commitment from Congress and the White House to a new set of federal policies. The focus should be on investing in infrastructure that supports the competitiveness and environmental sustainability of the nation, rather than funding unworthy pork barrel projects of individual states or districts (Buehler, Pucher, & Kunert 4). This statement is a clear indicator of how there are already enough policies to govern the efficiency of the transport sector. For there to be other projects there must be funds to cater to all the necessities. This will lead to withdrawal of tax money to improve an already working system instead of improving other vital sectors of the economy. Health care is a possible beneficiary of the funds since it needs major improvement.
A window of opportunity for changes in transportation policy is opening in the United States. (Buehler, Pucher, and Kunert 4). For the federal government to effectively execute the projects they need to have a workforce that is not only hard working, committed but also skilled. There is a shortage for such kind of labour in the states. Drivers are being very particular about what type of occupation, what type of company and what type of requirements go along with their job. (Barnes 3) there is a new trend of being choosy with the type of trade one want to be involved with leading also to scarcity of labour. Visa awards to the states will be the results of these shortages. Often the visas are awarded to students and young people of other nations who are promised work and free stay. The plan is to curb the shortage created in either the transport or other industries like healthcare, production factories and other labour intensive jobs. American culture faces loss where by a society that has a lot of intermarriages.
Reforms that may lead to tax money being used to cater to a sector thought to be vital to every Americans work life. This is a misleading concept from the resolutions advocates since there are those Americans hat work from home and those who work in farms. Their use of the road transport is not as frequent as that of a cab driver. It would be ill to use that Americans tax money to ensure the others enjoy the efficiency while some homogeneous services like health care are neglected.
Its no secret that Americans are in love with their cars. Behavioral theory suggests that a superior product exceeding consumer expectations will be required to get people out of the cars and into a new technology, like electric guide way vehicles. (Mara1). The federal government may come up with a lot of reforms but their effectiveness will only be determined by the American people. Transport vices like pollution can be curbed by mixing of transport modes like cycling and at times walking to work. Americans are more car-dependent than Germans regardless of income level or residential density. (Buehler et al 10). Americans can incorporate other travel modes to not only save the environment but also for their own health.
In summary, the American government has already set up enough policies and set up a good transport system. The three key actors can hardly run the sector alone, they need the citizens to get involved and make use of what is available. There are other sectors of the economy that need reforms more intensely such as healthcare and education sector. The pulling of funds to cater for any reforms must be for a homogeneous sector like health care or provision of basic needs. According to Davidson and Ottoson (p 5) in the late ninteys the availability of capital to construct the railroads of the west was the primary problem during the latter half of the 19th century. Capital availability is still a problem in transportation. Although there is job creation involved there is also a risk of losing the American culture. The average traveler now wastes the equivalent of
a full work week stuck in traffic every year.(Gotschi and Mills, 11).The Americans should also make use of other transport modes such as cycling and use of public means instead of crowding roads for example. This will also help to save the environment as a whole and reduce the health problems brought about due to lack of exercise. The reforms will not help make America more successful in terms of transport or economy wise only the Americans can improve the current status by utilizing the available resources to the maximum.
References
Barnes Marc. Resource: High fuel prices, shortage of drivers impact supply chain, 2006. Web.
Biden, Joe. The white house: recovery act milestone 200 days, 2009. Web.
Biden, Joe. The white house: 2,000th Transportation Project under Economic Recovery Act, 2009.Web
Buehler, Ralph, Pucher, John, and Kunert, Uwe. Making Transportation Sustainable: Insights from Germany, 2009. Web.
Davidson, Jack, & Ottoson, Howard. Transportation Problems and Policies in the Trans-Missouri West. Lincoln: University Of Nebraska Press.1967.
Gotschi, Thomas, Mills, Kevin and J.D. Rails-to-trails conservancy: Active Transportation for America.Web.
Mara, Saltz. World Energy Monthly Review Electrical Guide ways: A Transportation Solution? 2005. Web.
Obama Biden Manifesto: Strengthening of Americas transportation Infrastructure, n.d. Web.2010.
The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. Transportation Industry: Identifying And Addressing Workforce Challenges in Americas Transportation Industry 2007. Web.
The White House. Strengthening Americas Transportation Network for the 21st, 2009. Web.
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