I have suggested IndyGo, to acculturate the citizens of Indianapolis and Marion County to take mass transit, should:

   1) Increase the number of bus routes to optimize the number of potential riders.  We should have bus routes in areas where the numbers of potential riders is greatest.

   2) Increase the number of buses on those routes so that during peak hours, especially, someone need wait no more than ten minutes for a bus.

   3) Make sure the buses run on time and are…

   In 1986, when I moved to Marion County to attend law school, I was surprised at the relatively primitive mass transit system.  One had to wait an hour at a stop for a bus.  I had lived in Chicago, where buses were frequent and dependable, fares cheap enough to make driving a car a much-less-preferred option for daily transportation, and everyone rode the bus.  By that I mean there was no stigma to riding the bus.  I rode the 151 Sheridan bus for about a year, from a stop in Lincoln Park a…

   Today on Civil Discourse Now we will discuss public and mass transit in Indianapolis and in Indiana, as well as other topics. The Show will stream "live" from Harry C’s at 5055 South Dearborn on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our guest panelists will be Gary Welsh ("Adance Indiana") and Matt Stone ("Indy Student"). You can listen to Civil Discourse Now on Indiana Talks, part of Live365. Or you can tune in on this website or on U Stream. Better yet, you can go to Harry C’s, order some…

   This week on Civil Discourse Now we will discuss public and mass transit in Indianapolis and in Indiana. The Show will stream "live" from Harry C’s at 5055 South Dearborn on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Our guest panelists will be Sheila Suess Kennedy, Gary Welsh, and Matt Stone. You can listen to Civil Discourse Now on Indiana Talks, part of Live365. Or you can tune in on this website. Better yet, you can go to Harry C’s, order some good food, and see The Show for yourself.

   The costs of ownership of an automobile are significant. First, one faces the purchase price of the vehicle. Second, the car has to (should) be insured.  Third, there is a liquid to be poured into the tank on a regular basis. That liquid is not cheap. Fourth, if the car is bought new, in Indiana the plates are more expensive and sales tax higher. The "up" side is most repairs are covered by warranty. Fifth, one has to worry about where to park the vehicle. Work downtown? Parking can be…

   Yesterday I drove to Beech Grove for a meeting with clients. I never had seen the Amtrak facilities. As I passed the place, I was startled to see the engine from a bullet train and several cars from long-distance, double-decker trains. The buildings are huge.

   My grandfather was a fireman on the Monon Railroad and was killed in a crossing accident in Huntington in 1939. I rode trains a lot when I lived in Chicago and, later, Berwyn. The transit was reliable and relieved me of the…