Where it leaves us with transportation is

Air service is crappy because the sole criteria customers look for
is low price. This guarantees the knees under the chin experience
we are so familiar with. Airlines get mostly free air traffic control.
They say they want it upgraded, but aren't volunteering any of their
own money to do this.

People drive stinky cars because it's so incredibly subsidized by
both the public and private sector that it's cheaper and faster
for many trips. We have been building free roads and making zoning
rules that favour automobiles for about the last 75 years. It would
be odd if it were any different.

Passenger rail with all it's advantages of energy efficiency, it's
tendency to reduce sub-urban sprawl, has all it's expenses up in
front of everyone. Not enough companies make money off rail, so
there isn't a huge number of lobbyists rooting for it, so here we
are trying to run a national rail system for the price of two
freeway intersections a year.

However, it is amazing what a spell of $4.00 a gallon gas can do!
I'm looking forward to it getting back to that level.