According to the Tristate Transportation Authority, making certain imp

Question

According to the Tristate Transportation Authority, making certain improvements to the main commuter rail line would increase ridership dramatically. The authority plans to finance these improvements over the course of five years by raising automobile tolls on the two highway bridges along the route the rail line serves. Although the proposed improvements are indeed needed, the authority's plan for securing the necessary funds should be rejected because it would unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.

Which of the following, if true, would provide the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

Which of the following, if true, would provide the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

(A) Even with the proposed toll increase, the average bridge toll in the tristate region would remain less than the tolls charged in neighboring states.

(B) Any attempt to finance the improvements by raising rail fares would result in a decrease in ridership and so would be self-defeating.

(C) Automobile commuters benefit from well-maintained bridges, and in the tristate region bridge maintenance is funded out of general income tax revenues to which both automobile and rail commuters contribute.

(D) The roads along the route served by the rail line are highly congested and drivers benefit when commuters are diverted from congested roadways to mass transit.

(E) The only alternative way of funding the proposed improvements now being considered is through a regional income tax surcharge, which would affect automobile commuters and rail commuters alike.

Source: OG11 Q115

vnigam21 · Accepted Answer

According to the Tristate Transportation Authority, making certain improvements to the main commuter rail line would increase ridership dramatically. The authority plans to finance these improvements over the course of five years by raising automobile tolls on the two highway bridges along the route the rail line serves. Although the proposed improvements are indeed needed, the authority's plan for securing the necessary funds should be rejected because it would unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.

Which of the following, if true, would provide the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

Q. Which of the following, if true, would provide the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

(A) Even with the proposed toll increase, the average bridge toll in the tristate region would remain less than the tolls charged in neighboring states.    Eventhough the proposed toll increase would be less than the tolls charged in neighboring states, it does not answer the question why to unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.
This option does not provide any solution to the objection raised. Therefore, INCORRECT.

(B) Any attempt to finance the improvements by raising rail fares would result in a decrease in ridership and so would be self-defeating.   so what?? then why should the automobile drivers suffer the loss of decreased ridership of rails. This option even does not provide any solution to the objection raised.

(C) Automobile commuters benefit from well-maintained bridges, and in the tristate region bridge maintenance is funded out of general income tax revenues to which both automobile and rail commuters contribute.   If for bridge maintenance, both automobile and rail commuters contribute. Then for maintaining commuter rail line why only the automobile drivers suffer. It deepens the paradox. This option even does not provide any solution to the objection raised.
 
 (D) The roads along the route served by the rail line are highly congested and drivers benefit when commuters are diverted from congested roadways to mass transit. 
 Only this option provides a solution to the objection raised. It says that the proposed plan would benefit the automobile drivers as well. So, the plan is good.
It provides the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair.
 
 (E) The only alternative way of funding the proposed improvements now being considered is through a regional income tax surcharge, which would affect automobile commuters and rail commuters alike. 
It provides an alternative solution. Therefore, irrelevant.

suryav · Answer

According to the Tristate Transportation Authority, making certain improvements to the main commuter rail line would increase ridership dramatically. The authority plans to finance these improvements over the course of five years by raising automobile tolls on the two highway bridges along the route the rail line serves. Although the proposed improvements are indeed needed, the authority's plan for securing the necessary funds should be rejected because it would unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.

Which of the following, if true, would provide the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

Q. Which of the following, if true, would provide the authority with the strongest counter to the objection that its plan is unfair?

(A) Even with the proposed toll increase, the average bridge toll in the tristate region would remain less than the tolls charged in neighboring states.  irrelevant (no mention of other states) 
(B) Any attempt to finance the improvements by raising rail fares would result in a decrease in ridership and so would be self-defeating.
  it is about why drivers have to pay not why rail riders must not. 
(C) Automobile commuters benefit from well-maintained bridges, and in the tristate region bridge maintenance is funded out of general income tax revenues to which both automobile and rail commuters contribute.  stimules states why drivers have to absorb the  ENTIRE COST .Hence we need to choose option which impacts  either  automobile drivers or rail riders. 
(D) The roads along the route served by the rail line are highly congested and drivers benefit when commuters are diverted from congested roadways to mass transit. CORRECT 
(E) The only alternative way of funding the proposed improvements now being considered is through a regional income tax surcharge, which would affect automobile commuters and rail commuters alike. same as C

neha24 · Answer

D suits the bill in best way ------> it gives a reason to understand why i ,as an automobile rider ,might agree to pay for the development of rail road . the fact that this money put by me will ultimately help to reduce the congestion ,which is in fact a big problem at the moment , might become a solid reason as why i sud contribute (in terms of money ) to the development of this project

Archit143 · Answer

hi charu..
i think the answer must be D..
If I m nt wrong u chose B....if that is the case..than u shud think..conclusion is "its unfair to charge drivers for financing the rail project" We need to weaken the conclusion"so if we say that we do not have any other alternative to raise the fund ...that does not weaken......if there is none who could be charged...than why these truck drivers shud be a safe bait.....ti does not make sense to say , if nthn works than we are goin to ask truck drivers...."
On ther hand D says there are cases, where the drivers have benefited , if there is no congestion on the highway...so it make us to think that when the rail system will be improved the mass transit will be less and drivers will be those who will benifit max out f it..

Consider kudos if my post helps!!!!!!

Archit

Bluelagoon · Answer

In order to answer this question , think about how automobile owners benefit from the toll increase. D clearly answers that.

BeckyRobinsonTPR · Answer

we have to counter the claim that asking drivers to pay is unfair specifically because drivers get no benefit. Thus, the best way to counter this is to show how drivers would benefit D shows exactly how they would benefit while the other answers focus on other topics that are irrelevant.

MustbeatGMAT · Answer

Conclusion: Although the proposed improvements are indeed needed,  the authority's plan for securing the necessary funds should be rejected because it would unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.

What we need to do: 
1. Should not be rejected
2. Explain why: because there can be a benefit to the drivers

(D) answers it perfectly. drivers benefit when commuters are diverted from congested roadways to mass transit. - In Scope and weakens the conclusion.

KanishkM · Answer

We have to say that the plan is a good plan

Argument -> the authority's plan for securing the necessary funds should be rejected because it would unfairly force drivers to absorb the entire cost of something from which they receive no benefit.

It shouldn't be rejected, because D -> The roads along the route served by the rail line are highly congested and drivers benefit when commuters are diverted from congested roadways to mass transit.

(A) Even with the proposed toll increase, the average bridge toll in the tristate region would remain less than the tolls charged in neighboring states.
Why are we concerned about other states ?? OOS

(B) Any attempt to finance the improvements by raising rail fares would result in a decrease in ridership and so would be self-defeating.
decrease in ridership -> This is talking about trains -> OUT

(C) Automobile commuters benefit from well-maintained bridges, and in the tristate region bridge maintenance is funded out of general income tax revenues to which both automobile and rail commuters contribute.
Ideally, they should charge the automobile commuters, how will it benefit the rail commuters ??

(E) The only alternative way of funding the proposed improvements now being considered is through a regional income tax surcharge, which would affect automobile commuters and rail commuters alike.
Same as E -> Out

dcummins · Answer

The stem states that Drivers would receive no benefit yet would need to pay for the entire cost of the development.
We are then asked to provide a counter - the counter would be the logical counter i.e. the easiest thing to counter this argument would be to state that the drivers actually don't need to use the highways, but choose to because they have some sort of benefit from it.

D does this perfectly.

GMATTarget720plus · Answer

Hello  KarishmaB ,

I was confused between Choice C and D. I ended up selecting CHOICE C.

I found both CHOICE C and D correct. 
Please help me understand why Choice C is wrong and why Choice D is right ?

Regards

Taulark1 · Answer

Conclusion states that automobile commuters won't get benefit out of the railway improvements.
We want to weaken this by saying - No they will get some benefit out of the railway improvements.

(C) Automobile commuters benefit from well-maintained bridges, and in the tristate region bridge maintenance is funded out of general income tax revenues to which both automobile and rail commuters contribute.
-> This option is talking about benefit from well maintained bridges . So this is not a weakener.

(D) The roads along the route served by the rail line are highly congested and drivers benefit when commuters are diverted from congested roadways to mass transit.
-> Now if we have commuters diverted from congested roadways because of the railway improvements , this is a potential benefit for the automobile commuters.Hence this is the anwer.

werty_123 · Answer

In Option D, we are assuming that the proposed toll increase would lead drivers to change their route. How can D be correct if we are to assume additional detail?

According to the Tristate Transportation Authority, making certain imp

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