A recent Census Bureau study on the commuting habits of Americans offers some sobering thoughts to those who are pushing for a fixed-rail transit system for Honolulu.

The study concluded that despite rising gas prices and other pressures, the number of people who drive alone to work actually increased over the first half of this decade.

The lesson: Folks just do not want to give up the convenience, privacy and independence associated with driving themselves to work or school.

Now, this doesn't mean the argument for a rail transit system is lost. But the context of the debate might have to change a little.

To date, most of the discussion has been around "hard" or technical things: How much will it cost? What route will it take? What technology will be used for the system? What are the land-use and planning implications of a rail system for Honolulu?

These are all good questions and deserve fair and honest answers. But the Census Bureau study suggests there is another arena that must be addressed as the transit conversation goes forward: Call it the "sociological" aspect of mass transit.

It's not enough for transit planners to answer the technological questions. Advocates have to create a political or social climate in which building a massively expensive transit system makes sense. That can be done, but it won't be easy.

Likely, it will require at least two approaches: the persuasive and the coercive.

The coercive involves putting into place policies such as congestion pricing, much higher parking rates both public and private, and other enforcement mechanisms that make using a private automobile a dumb financial choice. But in fairness, such policies should not be imposed until and unless there is an alternative, i.e. mass transit in place.

The persuasive is a little more subtle, but it is something that could start today. Somehow, substantial percentages of the driving public must be convinced that it makes good social, environmental and financial sense to leave their cars at home most days.

The Census study suggests this is an uphill battle. But it is not impossible.

Consider the issue of smoking. A broad public effort to discourage smoking, particularly in public, has had dramatic success over the past decade or so. Public attitudes toward smoking have changed in fundamental ways.

If transit is to succeed, somehow a sea change will have to occur in which the social norm for commuting is public transportation rather than the private automobile.

Achieving that task may be tougher than any of the engineering and financing challenges now on the table.

Reach Jerry Burris at jburris@honoluluadvertiser.com.