The argument recommends that reducing shuttle bus fares or increase the price of parking at the subway stations can increase the commuter use of the shuttle buses. To justify the claim, the author points out that the commuter use of the shuttle buses, transporting people to the subway stations, is not compared with that of the new subway train. In addition, the author argues that driving to the subway station resulted in that the commuter use of the shuttle buses is below the projected volume. At first glance, the argument appears to be somewhat plausible, but further reflection reveals that it suffers from several logic flaws.
To begin with, the author assumes that reducing the shuttle bus fares and increasing the price of parking at subway station are exclusive alternatives. However ,the author presents a false dilemma by imposing an either-or choice. The author overlooks the possibility that the shuttle bus fares are originally not so high and it would be reduced a little, thus would not thoroughly affect the commuters to drive there. Moreover, the same may be true of parking at the subway stations. Also, we can easily provide better results by designing a new shorter routine only for shuttle buses which can save time thus spending less time than to drive to the stations.
In addition, the author's line of reasoning is that driving to the station caused the result that commuter use of the shuttle buses is below the projected volume. While self-driving might be the important contributing factor to the result, but it's not the only such factor. All other prospective causes might bring about the same result. For example, the health conditions of the shuttle buses might not take the comfortable feelings and the shuttle buses might not have enough seats, thus making some people no seats to have a rest. As the reasons stand, the author's assumption might not be thoroughly worthy of consideration.
The last but not the least ,the author also assumes that reducing the shuttle bus fares and increasing the price of parking at subway station are only solutions to the problem. However, the arguer commits a fallacy of causal oversimplification .other measures to the problem such as propagating that automobile contributes to the pollution and riding shuttle bus more safer than self-driving. Without evidences that can rule out such solutions ,the author's recommendation cannot be totally accepted.
In conclusion, this is a weak argument. To strengthen the argument's recommendation, the author would have to demonstrate that no other prospective solutions can work out the problem .Additionally, the author would have to show that the exclusive alternatives can achieve the company's expectation that commuters to ride the shuttle buses to the subway rather than drive there. |