Public officials engaging in the business community

100 Businesses in 100 Days

Congressman Rep. Mark Takano announced earlier this month that he will be touring “100 Businesses in 100 Days,” gathering input from the private sector within his 41st Congressional District. According the official press release, Takano will tour manufacturing, exports, retail, construction, high-tech, hospitality, food service, and more. His office will compile a report that will be used to direct future federal legislation to improve the marketplace economy.

The Transit Coalition has long advocated for officials and leaders to get out from behind their desks and engage the community, just as the Coalition does to prepare its transit-related campaigns. We take part in gauging passenger behavior, identifying needs, and providing solutions to real-life transit problems. Additionally, we meet face-to-face with the community and pitch our fact-based positions to top transportation officials. This is what our field studies and research is about.

Takano who represents a large portion of Riverside County's population kicked off his tour on August 14. From the south, his 41st District includes the Perris region, Moreno Valley, Riverside, and Jurupa Valley. As he continues gathering input from business leaders, finding ways to streamline federal regulations and working with the state and local jurisdictions to get rid of unnecessary legal red tape on their books will need to be a key component to future federal legislation. While those receiving unemployment benefits countywide has dropped from a peak of 15-20% three years ago and continues to go down, the rate still stands at 9.5%, and that does not factor in those who dropped out of the workforce altogether and became a dependent. The City of Riverside's rate stands at 9.7%, Jurupa Valley near 10%, Moreno Valley 11.1%, and Perris at 15%. It's clear there is work that needs to be done to get the private sector to invest in these regions with more full time jobs.

A call for action from Washington

From the national standpoint, one historic reason of why the United States has been such a robust country is because of its free marketplace economic system which promotes competition, motivation, and innovation which improves quality and lowers prices. Small business entrepreneurs and leaders need the assurance that public officials will do what is necessary to improve the economy without inducing urban sprawl, corporate corruption or pollution.

It's a fact that Washington should not inject more federal money into the private marketplace economy because the national debt is fast approaching $17 trillion. To be fair, the Treasury Department reported paying $35 billion toward the debt back in April, but according Brilling.com's U.S. National Debt Clock, the feds have spent an average of over $2 billion per day since September of last year. Vital programs such as defense, intelligence, public safety, public works capital and operations (which includes our highway and transit infrastructure), tax money oversight, and the government itself must remain, but the finances need to be policed better to get our federal budget out of the red.

All federal misspending must stop, especially with the bloated pensions. The special interests must concede and acknowledge the truth; the government cannot afford to pay public employees above marketplace wages, period. If the unions want higher wages and livable benefits, they need to follow Takano's lead, find out what needs to be done locally to improve the job market, and lobby for better economic conditions. That will get their workers the higher wages and full time hours.

With this and the government waste covered during the last two weeks on this blog, all of us will be negated if the misspending madness continues. Just look at the 91 Freeway and compare it with the 9.5% countywide unemployment rate. We don't want our state or country to go bankrupt.

Improving the marketplace economy for fully funded transit infrastructure

Last year, Congressman Rep. Mike Kelly hit the nail on the head with a possible solution to improve the national economy with this speech. For the record, we did not analyze the actual bill that was being debated back then--HR 4078: Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act--and therefore did not take a position, but Kelly's point is absolutely true.

While critical safeguards to prevent corporate corruption, combat urban sprawl and control pollution are necessary, over-regulating the private sector costs businesses huge amounts of money each year. That leads to higher prices and lower quality. In addition, companies are forced to scale back hiring and shift times to pay for the added costs. With the fewer jobs and resulting lackluster job market, those who have jobs will be paid less and work fewer hours.

How do the feds think they are going to get more high-paying full time private sector jobs if they continue to sack businesses with such red tape? How can the feds and local leaders of Takano's district entice business entrepreneurs into investing in downtown Riverside with robust marketplace job hubs? What is holding up the private capital from going into the downtown train station which would fully pay for an adjacent RTA bus transit station, a pedestrian bridge over the 91 Freeway into the downtown core, and direct access ramps the highway's carpool lanes? The feds know that the U.S. economy cannot thrive under excessive trivial regulations; that fact is taught today in high school social science.

On top of engaging the business community which is a great start, Rep. Takano should take his findings, work with colleagues on the other side of the aisle including Rep. Kelly, and craft a report and a bipartisan bill--without throwing any public money into the marketplace--which will lead the nation and the Inland Empire back into economic prosperity. That is how we can better fund the government and our transportation needs.

The Future Vision of the Interstate 40 Corridor through the Mojave Desert

What does the future hold for a transportation corridor linking the Inland Empire into the Mojave Valley?

The Coalition's field study of the Interstate 40 corridor between Barstow and the Mojave Valley yielded many findings and several unique marketplace transit and economic development opportunities. Generally speaking, each of the intermediate towns and stops share the following marketplace assets: Historic Route 66, Heat energy, logistics, and the BNSF-operated rail right-of-way.

Here are just a few suggestions for public officials to consider for clearing the way for a strong and robust transportation corridor:

• Incline additional marketplace economic investment by designating the central area blocks of each town and village as unique specific plans. Keep the blocks to a small scale. Any development that would induce urban sprawl, or traffic congestion must be discouraged.
  
• Keep the job-to-housing ratio balanced to eliminate the need for long distance commuting.
  
• Protect the open desert from unchecked sprawl by designating the outer fringes of the villages and towns as rural ranch or agriculture and areas beyond that as open space.
  
• Offer incentives to the private sector for the production of renewable heat energy.
  
• Commence a town hall meeting with existing investors, local area business owners, and residents to see how the region can be more business-friendly and what government reforms are necessary to build up business. What would entice a private intercity bus operator to the Highway 66 corridor?
  
• Fix up the Highway 66 frontage road as more investors come forth.
  
• There is a possibility that Class One private railroads including BNSF which long ago discontinued passenger service could reinstate and directly operate passenger trains in the future. Should BNSF desire to move forward with this concept for the LA-to-Flagstaff corridor, public officials should clear the way for the railroad to do so with potential local stops at each of the intermediate cities.

It's going to take a lot of work and vision to get these desert towns and villages back into an economically robust state when Highway 66 was the main throughfare, but history has shown that revitalizing blighted areas is possible and rewarding. One only needs to travel into one of many historic downtown districts throughout Southern California to see such economic development in action. 

Could several forgotten desert villages along Highway 66 become what Radiator Springs became in Hollywood?

(4/17/13) – Whose going to represent Lightning McQueen's courage in real life?

(C) Wikipedia/Alienburrito CC-BY-SA

Few Californians may know where a place called Ludlow is, but what’s left of a once-booming village out in the middle of the southern Mojave Desert are few retail outlets catering to the needs of passing I-40 travelers. Ludlow was once a robust village with a rich history. Most of the activity dwindled with the dawning of the freeway as motorists bypassed businesses located along the historic Highway 66 or what is now known as Old National Trails Highway.

Similar stories can be told for the villages of Amboy, Essex, and other Highway 66 stops, but only worse. Since the old Highway 66 veers to the south and away from the interstate east of Ludlow, these remaining villages are now on the verge of becoming ghost towns as I-40 travelers and truckers no longer stop there. Does all of this sound like the true version of the story of Radiator Springs from the “Cars” Disney film?

Hope is underway and some investors have already started to pour money into these lost towns. No, Lightning McQueen is not going to bail out Amboy by setting up shop there, but the corridor has been sparking interest. Since Highway 66 has been drawing attention from preservationists and historians, the deviating segment east of Ludlow might be seeing some market demand for tourism and leisure. Add to that potential logistics points served by the existing BNSF rail line and heat energy sources.

With these assets, these small towns could one day become what Radiator Springs became: Several forgotten towns transforming into robust tourist destinations and producers of renewable energy. One result could be additional marketplace passenger trains between Los Angeles and Flagstaff with stops at each town. San Bernardino County officials should consider clearing the way for potential revitalization of these almost forgotten villages. Who's going to represent McQueen's courage in real life?

A look at Newberry Springs

(4/16/13) – What does the future hold for this agricultural town?

The Transit Coalition continues to explore ways to improve multi-modal connections between the Inland Empire and points north of the Cajon Pass. There are numerous services that link Southern California to destinations like Las Vegas, Laughlin, and the Grand Canyon National Park, but what about the small towns in between?

Twenty miles east of the City of Barstow lies the town of Newberry Springs along Interstate 40, a robust agricultural, ranching and farming center made possible by the irrigation from the Mojave Aquifer. The region also benefits from local leisure-goers, snowbirds, some tourists utilizing the man-made lakes. Numerous live/work agricultural ranches can be found throughout this region which contributes toward a better balanced job-to-housing ratio.

The town’s rural demographics make fixed-route public transit a difficult endeavor for now, but what can be done to improve transit mobility?

What could a small centralized town center bring to Newberry Springs?

A small centralized downtown district for the ranchers and a community farmer’s market targeted toward travellers and truck drivers could make a bus route extension from Barstow a feasible option. Has the County of San Bernardino worked with the local residents on building up the agricultural marketplace? Has the state worked on making such trade more business-friendly and feasible?

Here's some more benefits of a downtown district: A private sector intercity bus operator like Greyhound could one day be inclined to stop a few of its through-buses in Newberry Springs. How about a future Class One BNSF-operated train west into Los Angeles, or east to Flagstaff? Bridle paths adjacent to major through-fares, complete streets, and a much-needed repaving of the Highway 66 frontage road east toward Ludlow would be possible from the added tax revenue. But in this current business climate, such public amenities and economic upgrades are not possible.

Across-the-Platform Connections Between Public Transit and Private Sector Intercity Carriers

The Transit Coalition uruges public officials to work with major intercity bus service providers like Greyhound Bus Lines and casino bus carriers for improved connections between these lines and local public transportation services at major transit centers and hubs. Currently, several private bus carriers stop to pick up and drop off passengers at points that are far from major public transit centers. Public officials should explore incentives and amenities so that private sector carriers would be inclined to use multi-modal transit centers and their adjacent streets as bus stops.

Private sector intercity bus service is vital for productive express bus service through suburban and rural areas where off-peak public express bus transit would otherwise not be feasible. By attracting carriers to transit centers, passengers will have seamless across-the-platform transfer connections between lines. In addition, coordinated service with streamlined fare and transfer agreements between operators can make both intercity bus travel and public bus service a more feasible transportation option at minimal costs to the taxpayer.

By setting policies that would allow private carriers to generate additional profits with the added ridership, Inland Empire bus riders would be given additional express intercity bus service options in a productive manner at centralized transit centers.

Overseeing California High Speed Rail

(3/28/13) – IE Transit Talking Points Short

A poll conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that California voters object to spending $68 billion in public funding on high-speed rail by a margin of 54 to 43 percent. The reasons behind the dissents are very clear. The plans from the California High Speed Rail Authority don’t match financial reality, its ridership projections are suspected to be spun, and the risks of having billions in taxpayer money spent on the project without an efficient business plan is drastic.

The latest 2012 CHSRA Business Plan calls for a $68 billion project cost. The rail agency has proposed what is essentially a second rail system for the central valley, duplicating existing usable infrastructure and potentially disrupting the robust farming sector in the marketplace. Earlier this year, CHSRA was found to dole out $8 million to rail contractors...to simply submit losing bids to the project. And now, Fox News reported that 10% of the high speed train's labor force must come from the "disadvantaged", which would potentially include ex-convicts, high school dropouts, foster children, and union apprentices--Forget having a fair screening process should a better qualified applicant apply for an affected position. To be fair, assisting disadvantaged workers is noble, but aren't there already non-profit organizations out there like iSeek which assist ex-cons in seeking honest work?

The Transit Coalition believes that public transportation projects need to be both cost-effective and non-disruptive to the communities they serve. For starters, a cost-efficient hybrid blended system through already-developed areas could allow high-speed rail to use existing upgraded commuter and intercity rail corridors--using a combination of electrification, separated grade crossings, positive train control, and/or upgraded rail cars--while improving speeds and travel time for existing train routes. The $9.95 billion in public seed money is more than enough separate several grade crossings along the existing passenger train routes throughout the urban areas of the state to speed them up, or perhaps that seed money can be used to close the Los Angeles-to-Bakersfield rail gap for a potentially profitable intercity rail corridor between the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego. That would bring in private investment for the remainder of the high speed train project, would it not?

And if there's some "law" that panders to the interests of special labor groups like the "disadvantaged" which unfairly displaces better qualified applicants from the job, the state legislature must repeal it immediately.

Friday Transportation Tips: Keeping the Drive-Thru moving

You see them at many fast food outlets, banks, and drug stores. Drive-throughs allow customers to patronize businesses without leaving their cars. It’s been a longtime convenience offered in the marketplace. Due to their high demand, businesses rely on quick customer turnaround times to keep their drive-through queues moving and services profitable. Also, the environment benefits whenever drive-throughs are not backed up with a bunch of stopped idling cars. More often than not, drive-through customers placing large orders tend to contribute toward the bottlenecks which often back up the queue. That’s where you can help.

Please consider sacrificing just a few minutes, park and walk in if you have any large orders or special needs that need to be filled. This may include:

• Getting food for multiple people at the fast food restaurant.
• Picking up a new prescription which would necessitate consultation at the pharmacy.
• Conducting large or multiple transactions at the bank.

If you follow these guidelines and walk in instead of driving through whenever you have a lot to order, you can help keep the drive-throughs moving with fewer idling cars which pollute the air. In addition, you help the economy of the establishment by keeping their drive-through queue times down which in turn keeps their prices in check.

Taking “smart” out of smart growth with Travertine Point

(2/18/13) – IE Transit Talking Points Short

Promises of new urbanism label Travertine Point, a massive master planned community which would house a population of 40,000. The sprawling development is proposed to be adjacent to the western edge of the Salton Sea, basically out in the middle of nowhere. Many red flags are evident. The existing agricultural towns of Coachella, Mecca, Oasis, and the Duroville trailer park don't need it. Neither does Interstate 10 to LA.

The region however can certainly use some agricultural-sector job growth. Estimated median household income in Mecca is under $25,000. Unemployment in this desert town is at least 15%. Factor in those who do not have unemployment benfits and nearly one quarter of the region’s population is jobless. A better growth idea would be “Las fábricas de Mecca” within Mecca’s existing street grid. Establishing factories and plants to process some of the harvested produce into premium drinks or packaged food would benefit the local economy, employ thousands of local workers which would help improve wages, and generate additional tax revenue to pay for improved transit, complete streets, and highway maintenance. That would be smart growth for the region.

Addressing the I-15 Southbound Bottleneck in Corona with Private Jobs

(2/18/13) – IE Transit Talking Points Short

Commuters and travelers who frequently use the southbound I-15 through Corona are well aware of a major bottleneck near El Cerrito Road which can cause congestion to spill over onto the eastbound 91 Freeway, thus creating miserable traffic conditions in the area during the PM rush hour and weekends.

A proposal by the Riverside County Transportation Commission would have addressed this; the proposal was to add two High Occupancy Toll Lanes and a single general purpose lane from the 60 Freeway, through the Corona bottleneck, to Lake Elsinore where southbound traffic demands normally decline. Now, RCTC has proposed a scaled-back version, where the added lanes would terminate at Cajalco Road.

Should that be the case, the infamous bottleneck will merely shift 2 miles south from El Cerrito Road to Cajalco. RCTC cites the lack of tax revenue as the reason behind the project reduction. Lackluster private sector Inland Empire job growth is certainly a problem, no question. 

However, Riverside County Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, an RCTC member whose district includes Lake Elsinore, has it right when he wrote in an e-mail, “Our focus really needs to be on private sector job creation here in Riverside County so that our residents don't have to spend hours commuting to and from work everyday.” That’s right. Let’s get some manufacturing, logistics, and other service-sector jobs into this region by designating areas as specific plans. Portions of the additional tax revenue can be used to fund transportation projects. RCTC can then start planning again for multi-modal transportation options for the I-15 Freeway and finally clear the infamous Corona bottleneck.

Safe and Reliable Marketplace Bus Lines

Law-abiding bus companies should not be paying the price for the foolish actions of Scapadas Magicas LLC.


A runaway bus overturned on Sunday, February 3, while descending Highway 38 near Redlands, claiming the lives of eight and injuring several others. Because of this collision, preventative measures will likely be discussed by public officials at the state and federal level. Regulating private sector bus operators has long been a challenge. How does one ensure that privately operated buses on the highways are safe and reliable while maintaining a robust economic transportation alternative offered by the marketplace? With a fatal bus accident at hand, the situation is serious.

The long term solution of balancing bus safety regulations and sustaining a profitable bus market economy is subject to debate. Both the state and the federal government must ensure that law-abiding bus companies with safe and well-maintained fleets don't end up paying the price for those who foolishly fail to maintain their buses or fail to properly screen their drivers for necessary qualifications. Those that violate safety regulations and create hazards which cause traffic collisions are the ones that should be footing the bill. The feds have started to take action.

The federal government on Friday, February 8, shut down Scapadas Magicas LLC, the operator of the bus involved in the fatal collision after federal inspectors found serious mechanical safety violations aboard two other buses. Without exception, any passenger bus that does not pass critical safety inspections should be pulled from operations immediately. However, simply shutting down illicit bus businesses is insufficient. Both Scapada Magicas' owner and the designated manager responsible for maintaining its bus fleet must be held accountable. The feds and states should punish bus companies who ignore safety protocol while refraining from placing unnecessary regulatory burdens on law-abiding bus operators. Ill-advised proposals such as outlawing all buses on mountain highways won't prevent the unsafe ones from entering the roads. Robust debate for a long term solution to get all of our buses on the road up to code while keeping marketplace transit service competitive needs to continue.

An innovative Perris must be economically robust

(1/30/13) – IE Transit Talking Points Short

Bus riders headed to jobs throughout the City of Perris will be delighted to see some additional bus shelters with solar-powered lighting built for the major bus stops around the city. Officials tout that these shelters will collect solar energy to power both the shelter lighting as well as nearby traffic signals, thus potentially saving the city some bucks on its electric bill. 

Perris Council member Mark Yarbrough sees the solar bus shelters as an example of bringing forth innovation to the city, but as good as these shelters are for the riding public going to work by bus, the best innovative ideas originate from robust jobs from the private marketplace. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment in Perris is a staggering 17.9%. 

The Perris City Council may therefore want to consider designating areas within the central city grid as specific plans and offer incentives to get some private sector manufacturing, logistics, and other service-oriented jobs developed to sustain productive public bus transit service and to truly foster innovative ideas in the city. Combating high unemployment needs to be a priority.