Do more legal drivers mean reduced bus ridership?

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mexican driverA newspaper reports that 650,000 California drivers licenses were issued last year to undocumented persons. This means that we have 650,000 more licensed drivers than a year ago.

One has to wonder how many of these new legal drivers, and their family members, used to use public transit but now use a personal automobile because they can legally do so. Could it be that this phenomenon is at least partly responsible for reports of public transit ridership declines in Orange and Los Angeles counties?

Is the theory of unintended consequences at work here?

empty bus

About Over But Not Out

A retired Orange County employee, and moderate Republican. The editor seriously does not know OBNO's identity as did not the former editor, but his point of view is obviously interesting and valued.