首页
登录
职称英语
Since about 1950, public transportation in the U. S. has had to struggle to s
Since about 1950, public transportation in the U. S. has had to struggle to s
游客
2025-01-10
10
管理
问题
Since about 1950, public transportation in the U. S. has had to struggle to survive. The growth of private automobile ownership, the change in cities with accelerated urban sprawl, and the immense highway construction program have added to transit problems. Moreover, changes in Life-style have contributed to reduced transit use, which has resulted in lower revenues from fares at a time when costs for operations have increased greatly.
As private transit systems were taken over by local government and the cost of operations continued to increase, pressure was exerted for federal participation in urban public transportation. The 1964 Urban Mass Transportation Act established this commitment. The legislation limited federal assistance to 80 percent of the capital expenditure for buses, rall cars, and fixed facilities. In 1974 the federal government added operating assistance to its program. Because passen- ger fares account for only about one-third of the average system’s operating funds, demand for federal subsidies escalated rapidly. In the early 1980s a change in federal transportation policy resulted in relaxation of the rigid standards governing the way federal aid is used, imposing requirements for private sector participation and increased state, regional, and local funding. By the end of the 1980s state and local operating assistance amounted to about 2 percent of the funds needed to operate U. S. transit systems; fare box and other revenues accounted for 43 percent, and federal assistance, 5 percent.
Private sector initiatives in public transportation include transit services provided by private operators under com- petitively bid contracts, and innovative public-private projects such as a joint development of transit stations.
It is estimated that 8 million people in the U. S. (5 percent of the urban population) have physical handicaps that prevent them from using conventional transportation services. With the aging of the population, more than one-fifth of the people living in the U. S. will be over 65 in the year 2030. Many of the people in these groups are dependent on public transportation. In 1990 Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, which will virtually require all transit services to be accessible to the disabled.
In the short run, existing transit modes will be improved. Cities with such systems will extend their lines, while others will plan and construct new ones, including rapid transit, buses, and light rail transit. The lower-cost alternatives will have a better chance of adoption. There is also a strong interest in commuter rail. Part of the appeal of this mode of transporta- tion is that many cities have unused and undernsed rail corridors that can provide rights-of-way at low cost.
Because of major environmental concerns, electric trolley buses and methanol-powered and other alternative fuel- powered buses will replace diesel engine buses.
An enormous range of new technology exists in the area of intelligent vehicle systems. For example, a commuter will be able to get real-time information on home computers as to when the next bus will arrive at the nearest bus stop. Information for trip planning will be available as well. Transit agencies will use advanced technologies for traffic and fleet management of their vehicles. Vehicle control systems that will guide buses along prescribed corridors and routes are being researched to reduce vehicle delay, increase capacity, and improve safety.
Automation through new technology can provide a means for reducing labor while providing performance and satety. A number of automated guideway transit systems operate in airports, shopping centers, college campuses, and amusement phrks. Their applicability to a more diverse use is continually evaluated. Research is under way on magnetically levitated and air-supported vehicles. Directional control, spacing, switching, and lateral control are among the many problems needing more development before such systems can be widely accepted. Other developments include the moving walkway, designed mainly for short distance, which will accelerate a pedestrian from three to five times walking speed.
Unique structural systems have been designed to support advanced transit concepts. Suspended monorails are ex- amples of lower-cost systems under development. [br] If you have physical handicaps, what kind of transit system can you use?
选项
A、Conventional transportation services.
B、Public transportation.
C、Suspended monorails.
D、All transit services which are accessible to the disabled.
答案
D
解析
答案见第四段,残疾人无法使用常规的交通工具,由此推导,A、B、C都属于常规的、大众化的交通工具,故只能选D。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/3906153.html
相关试题推荐
[originaltext]6.Anotherthingrecentgradsstrugglewithisnothavingcontrol
[originaltext]6.Anotherthingrecentgradsstrugglewithisnothavingcontrol
[originaltext]6.Anotherthingrecentgradsstrugglewithisnothavingcontrol
Priorto1975,unioneffortstoorganizepublic-sectorclericalworkers,most
Priorto1975,unioneffortstoorganizepublic-sectorclericalworkers,most
Priorto1975,unioneffortstoorganizepublic-sectorclericalworkers,most
Publicisinghisimminentnewseriesabouttheevolutionofanimals,SirDavi
TheBritishpublic’svotetoleavetheEUhassetoffpoliticalandscientifi
OnPublicSpeakingWhenpeopleare
______madehisnameasagreatpoetwiththepublicationofAnEssayonCritici
随机试题
Thescientistfounditpuzzlingthathistheoryencountered(i)_______despitew
______ishumannature,thatagreatmanypeopleareoftenwillingtosacrificeh
"Diamonds",sangMarilynMonroeinthefilmGentlemenPreferBlondes,"are
Ican’treadtheadvertisementontheboard.Couldyouholdthelightalittle__
A.甲状腺间质内淋巴滤泡增生 B.甲状腺滤泡增生呈柱状,并突人滤泡内形成乳头
AAAAA级旅游景区导游员(讲解员)需持证上岗,均应具备大专以上文化程度,其中本
下列除哪味药外都是既能祛风,又能止痉的药物A.防风 B.蝉蜕 C.僵蚕 D
检测细胞免疫缺陷的方法A.溶血空斑形成试验 B.免疫球蛋白检测 C.淋巴细胞
断路器允许开断故障次数应写入变电站()通用规程$;$现场专用规程$;$典型操
判断勘察设计投标人的技术能力,是否具备承担勘察设计任务的能力,主要通过判断( )
最新回复
(
0
)