The future of public transportation is changing. Until a few years ago, the fastest way to travel while still saving money was to take a flight. But today, thanks to improvements in technology, high speed trains have been made faster and safer. These trains offer a cheap and viable method of travel while being cleaner and greener than other mass transportation systems which burn a lot of fossil fuels.
High speed trains are simply trains which travel at a speed of 200kms/h or higher. Originally started in Germany, with time the rails spread to Japan, Australia, China and the United States. These trains are preferred for the following reasons:
- Fast yet cheap
- Emissions are lower when compared to other mass transportation systems
- Allow for large number of people to be transported
High Speed Rails in the Future – Private or Public?
Privatization of High Speed Rails is the question.
The first completely private high speed rail is the Italian “NTV AGV” trains from luxury car maker Ferrari. These high speed trains, in the iconic red colour of Ferrari, are stated to start functioning throughout Italy in the summer of 2012. Highlights of the trains:
- Funding: All the funding to purchase the trains, technology and train the staff has been taken up by NTV alone. No government funding of any sort has been used.
- Luxury: Since the trains were designed by Ferrari, you will find luxuries such as leather seats, tunnel proof Wi-Fi, access to television, dedicated cinema coaches, staff trained in hospitality and panoramic windows in all of their rails.
- Pricing: While the trains are luxury trains, the pricing system used will be one similar to flights i.e. tiered pricing. Based on factors such as season, day, and time, the price will change. But it is said that even at their costliest prices, the trains will be affordable to the common public. Additionally, since there are three levels of seating, finding the perfect fit according to your budget should be easy. Lastly, since competition in the mass transport arena is high, prices will remain low.
- Service: Since the rails are owned by a private company, customer service will be excellent. Unlike government rails, everything from timing to food will be perfect.
Since the above project has been taken up by a private company, construction and functioning should be better than government funded operations. Funding and completion of projects will be simpler and faster and the everyday taxpayer won’t have to worry about the government spending excess funds on transportation projects.
While there are many positives to privatization of high speed rails, a few negatives are present such as:
- Future Monopoly: In the future the mass transportation systems may be monopolized by a few companies which may result in high ticket prices.
- Profit: Private rails will function for profit alone. The disadvantage of this is that these rails may not run in un-productive lines i.e. where passenger usage is low.
The above problems should not be a big issue as long as there are enough competitors and a government player. As long as a public option is present, the private companies cannot increase the cost of their tickets by much.
Privatization of the high speed rail sector is a good thing that should increase efficiency of travel, comfort, and general usage of mass transportation systems. However, a government player should be present to protect the interest of the taxpayer by maintaining ticket prices and running services in un-productive sectors to increase access to less populated areas.
Photo Credit: Some rights reserved by Loco_2
