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Monorail is just an expensive amusement ride. It is true that the Disney resort parks such as Disneyland have monorails. However most of these are scaled-down versions made for the park and are obviously designed primarily for amusement purposes. However the proposed system for the Seattle region is a full-size version designed for the purpose of rapid mass transit. No doubt some people will ride them for fun, but most of the riders will be using the monorail for the usual transit purposes, such as going to work, going to school, going shopping, or visiting friends. So the monorail will be no more of an amusement ride than busses, light rail, commuter rail, and subway trains.

I drive and will never use the monorail, so why should I have to pay car tab taxes to build something I will never use? Even if you never use the monorail, many people will benefit, and your tax dollars will help improve the liveability of Seattle. And many people will decide to use the monorail rather than drive for some trips, especially downtown or to sports events and other events. The monorail may not make a dramatic improvement in traffic, but at least there will be some improvement. This will help make your drive easier.

People aren’t going to give up their cars to take the monorail! I really don’t expect many people to get rid of their cars. That just isn’t a realistic expectation, although probably a few will. However, I think that many people will decide to take the monorail rather than drive for at least a few of their trips. Many people hate the stress of driving in congested traffic, and then having to deal with the cost of finding a parking space and paying for the high cost of parking downtown or at sporting events and other special events. Add to that the risk of being late due to congestion or an accident that ties up traffic. Many people who are convenient to the monorail will decide to save time, money, and hassle by leaving the car at home and taking the monorail.

It costs too much! It is expensive, but what are the alternatives? Light rail or a subway will cost much more. Bus rapid transit may cost less but will be slower and have much more impact on traffic. Costs go up year by year, so waiting until another year will cost a lot more. Our transportation problems only get worse with time. Let’s bite the bullet and get started now on a monorail rapid transit system!

The Monorail Society's web site has a page debunking arguments against monorail, with photos comparing subways, light rail, and monorail.