For two decades, the Center for Urban Transportation Research has advised Florida policymakers on how to spend billions of taxpayer dollars to improve the state’s overwhelmed transportation system.
The University of South Florida think tank says every transportation option it examines undergoes a rigorous and objective analysis. It says it plays no favorites.
But a St. Petersburg Times analysis shows CUTR has often criticized one type of travel — passenger rail — while promoting alternatives it is paid millions to study. — One of rail’s biggest critics gets millions to study and promote alternatives
A question unasked is why DOT believes that CUTR can do better studies than DOT can in-house? If they want opinions and studies from different sources, are they spreading around the wealth to other “think tanks?”
Hit tip to Sticks of Fire – cutr’s anti-rail stance questioned