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US cities pay too much for buses

(www.bloomberg.com)
355 points pavel_lishin | 4 comments | 26 Sep 25 13:57 UTC | HN request time: 0.222s | source
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lenerdenator ◴[26 Sep 25 14:22 UTC] No.45386816[source]▶
> "A new paper argues that lack of competition, demand for custom features and “Buy America” rules have driven up costs for transit agencies in the US."

If that's not the most NYC finance-centered headline ever, I don't know what is.

"If we just offload our bus-building industry to somewhere else, we could save $x on taxes each year. Yeah, it eliminates jobs and is another blow against strategically-important heavy industry, but please, think of my balance sheet!"

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1. infecto ◴[26 Sep 25 14:36 UTC] No.45386994[source]▶
One of the worst takes I have ever seen. It’s not about offloading an industry but if another geography has a comparative advantage everyone benefits.

I would also argue that customizations are indeed a total waste of money for systems that already cash strapped.

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2. Mountain_Skies ◴[26 Sep 25 16:26 UTC] No.45388280[source]▶
What geography allows for worker oppression and environmental degradation as a competitive advantage?
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3. infecto ◴[26 Sep 25 19:00 UTC] No.45389859[source]▶
Where did I say anything about worker oppression?
4. bsder ◴[26 Sep 25 21:38 UTC] No.45391281[source]▶
> if another geography has a comparative advantage everyone benefits.

I don't necessarily agree. Outsourcing has a cost in that you also lose the knowledge of the entire engineering chain.

That engineering chain has a LOT of value to us as a society. However, it has negative value to a single CEO looking at his quarterly bonus.