Minimal service isn't good enough

May 11, 2008

The current controversy over conditions on the light rail underscores the fundamental problem with mass transit in the Baltimore region: We have a system that is considered a form of welfare and intended for those who have no other options ("Angry sardines," May 8).

The design, funding, maintenance, operations and public relations for our transit system all point to an attitude that suggests that the least possible service is good enough.

Until we, through our state and local leadership, acknowledge that a fully functioning public transit system, with dependable and comprehensible service, is a necessary component of a vibrant urban region, we will be saddled with poor service.

Thomas Casey

Baltimore

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