How would you solve the WMATA budget?

Budget

How would you solve the WMATA budget?

by David Alpert • March 18, 2010 1:51 pm

WMATA has created an online survey for riders to weigh in on the many fare increase and service cut alternatives in the FY2011 budget.

Photo by tcp909.

Take the survey and give your thoughts on which ideas to accept and which to reject.

Here are the options I chose. I'm not totally positive this is best, as some of these items will still mean severe losses of ridership, but I tried to tailor it as much as possible to minimize that ridership loss.

I've also thrown this list together quickly, and therefore might have included an item that I'll later realize is inappropriate. This isn't necessarily my final position on the budget.

Metrorail fares:

Raise peak period boarding charge 21% from $1.65 to $2. Increase peak mileage charges by 21%. Increase the maximum peak fare charges by 21% from $4.50 to $5.45 (Adds $57.9 million in revenue)
Implement peak-of-the-peak pricing (50 cents added to peak boarding charge 7:30-9 am and 4:30-6 pm) (Adds $20 million in revenue)
Proportional increase to weekly passes of up to 15% (Adds $600,000 in revenue)
NO to: off-peak fare increase (the ridership loss is too great; a smaller off-peak fare increase might be okay)
Undecided: Reduce bus-to-rail transfer from 3 hours to 2 hours (Adds $1.8 million) (WMATA's estimates for ridership loss are very high; on the other hand, they might be incorrect. It makes sense in theory, but not if the ridership loss would be as great as they estimate.)

Metrorail fares page 2:

Increase the bus-to-rail transfer discount to 75 cents (Decreases revenue by $4.5 million) (The reason for this is that big bus and rail increases hit combination riders especially hard; increasing the discount mitigates this unfairness.)
Charge peak-period fares on weekend late night service from 12:01 a.m. to closing (Adds $800,000 in revenue)

Metrorail service changes:

Change peak period Red Line service such that there will be trains every three minutes from Gosvenor to Silver Spring and every six minutes from Silver Spring to Glenmont and from Grosvenor to Shady Grove. (Save $1.3 million)
Reduce seasonal service to bring it in line with actual service needs on the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years Day. Additionally, run a holiday schedule on Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day Columbus Day and Veterans Day (Save $140,000)
NO to: Closing entrances at 8 pm, closing stations on weekends
NO to: Longer headways, eliminating 8-car trains
NO to: Reduce Yellow Line service nights and weekends to a shuttle, eliminating Yellow Line to Fort Totten
NO to: Later system opening
NO to: Earlier system closing

Metrorail parking:

Raise daily parking rates by $1.15 (Adds $13 million in revenue)
Raise reserved parking fees from $55 to $65 per month (Adds $600,000)
Expand the hours during which Metro charges for parking to 24 hours a day Monday through Friday. (Adds $500,000)
Adjust the rates for parking meters in order to promote full utilization at most Metrorail stations. (Increases revenue)

Metrobus fares:

Raise regular service boarding charge 20% from $1.25 to $1.50. Cash fares will rise from $1.35 to $1.60. (Adds $11 million)
Institute a peak period, directional boarding charge on Metrobus. (Financial impact undetermined)
Raise express service boarding charge 29% from $3 to $4. Cash fares will rise from $3.10 to $4.10. (Adds $2 million)
Raise boarding charge on bus shuttles (5A, B30) to Dulles International Airport and BWI-Thurgood Marshall Airport 94% from $3.10 to $6. (Adds $1.2 million in revenue)
Raise the weekly flash pass price 36% from $11 to $15 (Adds $6 million)

Metrobus fares continued:

Increase the rail-to-bus transfer discount to 75 cents (Reduces revenue $2.9 million) (The reason for this is that big bus and rail increases hit combination riders especially hard; increasing the discount mitigates this unfairness.)
Undecided: Reduce bus-to-bus and rail-to-bus transfer from 3 hours to 2 hours. (WMATA's estimates for ridership loss are very high; on the other hand, they might be incorrect. It makes sense in theory, but not if the ridership loss would be as great as they estimate.)

Metrobus service changes:

Restructure service on select routes and lines (Save $2.63 million) (I believe these are cuts in Craig's "group 1", which are relatively tolerable.)
Eliminate overlap with local service (Save $2.16 million)
Reduce service on four holidays: Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day (Save $2 million)
Reduce seasonal service to bring it in line with actual service needs for the day after Thanksgiving and the week between Christmas and New Years Day. (Save $670,000)
Reduce Christmas/New Years seasonal service (Save $670,000)
Reduce bus stops on select lines (Save $1.04 million) (Some think the savings is even more, actually, because this assumes a ridership loss that might not actually happen)
NO to: Longer headways, eliminate routes, segments or lines
NO to: Reduce weekend late night service

MetroAccess:

Increase fare to twice the fixed route fare for the fastest trip, as determined by the Metro Trip Planner. The Metro Trip Planner may determine that the fastest trip is by bus, rail, or a combination of the two. (Adds $4.6 million)
Restrict Metro access service area to 3/4 mile from available fixed route service. Restrict customers who are elegible for full paratransit service from the free ride program on Metrobus and Metrorail. (Saves $5.4 million) (I'd add that individual jurisdictions should be free, and in fact encouraged, to make additional contributions for persons with disabilities living outside the 3/4 mile range to have paratransit service. But jurisdictions should pay for that instead of forcing a choice between offering paratransit service and fixed-route service.)

Miscellaneous:

Charge up to 50 cents more for the use of paper farecards on Metrorail. Twenty-five cents for trips costing up to $2.50 and 50 cents for trips more than $2.50. (Adds $9 million)
Allow the general manager to institute a special fare of no more than 5 times the normal rate for fares and passes on bus and rail, and charge up to $25 for parking for special events such as presidential inaugurations, other historic or political events, major sporting or entertainment events, and to implement special emergency fares. (Financial Impact To Be Determined)
Metro should ask local governments to increase contributions in coordination with a fare increase to avoid service cuts.
Additional capital funds, $30 million or less, should be used for preventive maintenance, providing those funds are paid back in a later budget cycle.
NO to: Increase bike locker annual fee to $200 (a fee increase makes sense but only if it's based on demand per-station)

If I am counting correctly, the total of all items with a dollar figure comes out to $135.21 million. Add in the $16.3 million in staffing cuts planned under the GM's budget plus a $40 million contribution from jurisdictions (which still is far from being a reality) and we get about the $190 million of the actual budget gap.

Of course, as I've argued before, jurisdictions should actually contribute even more, to stave off these service cuts and the most painful of the fare increases. A fare increase at this level will definitely hurt many lower-income riders, and local governments should spread the responsibility out among riders and non-riders who also benefit greatly from the reduced traffic and increased economic activity from good transit.

What did you say on the survey?

40 comments

Tags: fares, MetroAccess, performance parking, service cuts, WMATA, WMATA budget

WMATA budget deep dive, part 3: Fare proposals (Feb 25, 2010)
WMATA budget deep dive, part 4: A better fare increase? (Feb 25, 2010)
WMATA releases preliminary budget, gap now $190M (Jan 29, 2010)
Sarles proposes budget with far fewer service cuts (Apr 22, 2010)
Metro should release more budget-closing options (Dec 3, 2009)

David Alpert is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Greater Greater Washington and Greater Greater Education. He worked as a Product Manager for Google for six years and has lived in the Boston, San Francisco, and New York metro areas in addition to Washington, DC. He loves the area which is, in many ways, greater than those others, and wants to see it become even greater.

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Lower rank & file wages and benefits.

They got us into the mess.

Driving a bus is not rocket science. Neither is opening/closing doors and making announcements on a Metro Car.

by Dave on Mar 18, 2010 2:10 pm • link • report

Increase bus fares to $2.
Increase the minimum Metro fare to $2.

Fire Catoe and make him refund his salary going back to June.

by Redline SOS on Mar 18, 2010 2:20 pm • link • report

WMATA needs to do a better job of encouraging development around metro stations. As noted in the morning links last week, the parking lot at the Capitol South metro station is a prime opportunity for development. There are also large surface parking lots surrounding the Union Station metro station (admittedly, this won't get developed). The area next to the green/yellow line entrance at L'Enfant Plaza (7th & Maryland) also has huge potential for development. There is a whole city block between the FAA building and the railroad tracks that is empty (this serves very little purpose as open space). You've written before about the opportunities to develop around the Rhode Island Avenue station. The Western bus garage in Friendship Heights could also bring WMATA much-needed revenue.

Another way to increase revenue is to rent space in the metro stations to retailers. The Convention Center station has a huge amount of space that is empty and could be leased to businesses selling newspapers, magazines, etc..

by Ben on Mar 18, 2010 2:22 pm • link • report

The survey is weighted toward service reductions and fare increases since other options like increased contributions from the jurisdictions don't come until the end of the survey.

The survey also doesn't give you any measure (by passenger loss) of any damage you may do by selecting any of the options.

Nevertheless, its a better way for us transit geeks to weigh in than we had in the past.

by kreeggo on Mar 18, 2010 2:23 pm • link • report

My take (in order of the survey). Personal comments on the choice will be in italics:

- Raise peak period boarding charge by 21%
- Implement $0.20 peak-of-the-peak (a dime is too low, but I think 50 cents may be too high...in between at 25 cents would have been preferred)
- Increase off-peak boarding by charge by 15% (something just below, changing the minimum fare to $1.50 instead of $1.55, would be preferable)
- Increase to weekly passes of 15%
- Reduce bus-to-rail transfer to 2 hours (2.5 hours might be a good compromise...plus that's what I was used to back home)
- Leave the bus-to-rail transfer discount as-is (not an option per-se, but that's what I'd effectively do)
- Institute free rail-to-bus transfers on weekends (not a big revenue decrease, and would help encourage such trips)
- Institute a directional peak-of-the-peak in the congested core (helps represent "market conditions" even further)
- Charge peak-period fars for after-midnight service

- Weekdays 6-6:30am, reduce trains to every 6-8 minutes
- Change peak-period Red Line trains (which obviously would be more useful if they had more 8-car trains)
- As such, I said *NO* to eliminating 8-car trains
- Reduce seasonal/holiday service
- *NO* to reducing Yellow Line service (as I've long been harping, this one would affect me the most)
- No to closing stations/station entrances (though a few of the weekend entrance closings might be plausible, but not the entire list they provided)
- No to later system openings and earlier system closings (a compromise here would be running fewer trains during the early morning/late night)

- Raise daily parking rates/reserved parking fees (see caveat below)
- Expand parking charging to 24 hours on weekdays
- Adjust rates for parking meters (optimally, Metro would institute Performance Parking not just for the meters, but for the parking lots/garages as well. Instead of charging a flat rate for all lots/garages, charge based on usage. If a given lot/garage is full/overutilized all the time during the week, drivers should be charged more than if they used a lot/garage that is underutilized.)

- Raise regular bus fares 20%
- Institute peak period, directional boarding charge on Metrobuses
- Raise express bus fares 29%
- Raise fares on the 5A and B30 to $6
- Raise express bus fares for Seniors/disabled to $2 (a lower number would be preferable, but $0.60 is too low and they should be expected to share in the pain along with the rest of us)
- Raise weekly flash pass to $15
- Raise rail-to-bus/bus-to-bus transfers to 2 hours (as noted above, 2.5 hours would be a good compromise)
- Increase cash price for bus fares by $0.25 (another way to encourage users to use SmartTrip)

- Restructure service on select lines
- Eliminate overlap with local service
- Reduce holiday/seasonal service
- Reduce bus stops on select lines

- Increase MetroAccess fare to twice that of fastest fixed route fare
- Restrict MetroAccess service to the 3/4 mile radius

- No to increasing the bike locker annual fee to $200 (an increase is in order, but not necessarily that high of an increase)
- Charge up to $0.50 more for using paper farecards (another incentive to use SmartTrip)
- Allow the GM to institute special fares for special events
- Ask local jurisdictions to increase contributions in order to avoid service cuts (but at the same time, don't rely on them)
- No to additional capital funds being used

This totals to just over $156M, but with 4 items where the financial impact is TBD. Still, I'm still about $34M short, though if the $16M in staffing cuts that David mentioned is included, that reduces my "unknown source" to just under $18M.

by Froggie on Mar 18, 2010 2:56 pm • link • report

I voted against across the board increases charges for bike lockers and the daily parking rates despite the fact that I walk from metro to my office and my home to Metro. I am torn between thinking these rates should be demand-based and thinking car/bike storage at Metro stations ought to be free. Demand-based fees would maximize revenue, but free parking/lockers would encourage ridership. Encouraging ridership helps build political support for Metro, increases fare revenue, and keeps more cars off the road.

I realize that free parking is a pipe dream as many garages are paid for with the revenue they generate and free parking would generate insatiable demand. Ideally, the parking cost would be much higher and the Metro ride itself free.

by Stanton Park on Mar 18, 2010 2:58 pm • link • report

How about an additional 50 cent fare surcharge for passengers entering and exiting at the National Airport Metro Station on the Blue and Yellow lines?

It may be $1 per day more for airport employees who use Metro every day they work, but that still beats cab fare or walking from the 9A,E buses along Jefferson Davis Hwy.

by Transport. on Mar 18, 2010 3:22 pm • link • report

@Ben - Shady Grove would be prime condo tower territory if they hadn't built those monstrous garages. There's not a single retail spot at that massive Metro/Bus transit center. What idiot thought that was a good idea?

by Redline SOS on Mar 18, 2010 3:34 pm • link • report

Eliminate the Blue Line, and increase frequency on the Orange and Yellow lines to make up for it. It'd increase service and save cost. The track between Pentagon and Rosslyn is a waste--anyone going to Arlington Cemetary can drive or cab from either of those other two stops.

Take on advertising on the trains.

Cut wages and benefits for Metro employees. When raising fares during a tough economic time it's easier for riders (who may have been downsized, had their own pay cut, or in constant fear of this) to stomach if they know that the pain is spread evenly. Maybe you'd see some better performance by these employees if they knew their job was subject to merit pay rather than the usual unaccountability of union-protected work.

Replace most escalators with stairs. Use the maintenance crews instead to keep the elevators running for those who can't take stairs.

Charge a fee to allow vendors to open up kiosks in station entrances.

by Brando on Mar 18, 2010 3:35 pm • link • report

Too bad there was a lot missing. There was no general comments window. There was no option that local jurisdictions and the feds should pay more than just to need the budget shortfall. There were no options about expansion of metro. There was no option for the public to demand that WMATA's charter be changed. There was no option demanding that a way be found to bring the union contract in line with union contracts in surrounding jurisdictions.

In short, this was a questionnaire solely focused on the current budget deficit. No thought about the fact that we'll get the same problems next year. No long term vision.

The Crimson Permanent Assurance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX61PUZ3xkI

by Jasper on Mar 18, 2010 3:41 pm • link • report

Jasper's got a good point. I was also disappointed that there wasn't a section to include comments.

by Froggie on Mar 18, 2010 3:45 pm • link • report

More of a question than a comment: When you say "Restrict Metro access service area to 3/4 mile from available fixed route service," does the "fixed route" requirement apply to Metrobus, or just to Metrorail? After all, Metrobuses do follow "fixed routes" (except, say, after record-breaking snowstorms).

If "fixed routes" include both buses and trains, then it strikes me that almost everything inside the Beltway is still going to fall within the MetroAccess jurisdiction.

by Greenbelt Gal on Mar 18, 2010 3:45 pm • link • report

The track between Pentagon and Rosslyn is a waste

Not if you're going from anywhere on the VA Orange Line to DCA or the Pentagon it's not.

by Contractor on Mar 18, 2010 4:02 pm • link • report

The track between Pentagon and Rosslyn is a waste

Not if you're going from anywhere on the VA Orange Line to DCA or the Pentagon it's not.

Well, for those on the VA Orange Line (myself included) that could still be accomplished by taking the metro to L'Enfant and switching to the Yellow. it'd take longer, but do-able.

by Brando on Mar 18, 2010 4:09 pm • link • report

Any bus cash fare increase needs to hit some logical cash amount (like $4 for express service instead of 3.75 or 4.10).

The "Allow general manager...special events..." proposal seems really strange to me. I can see the advantage to having it during the last inauguration, but I'm having trouble fathoming another instance where it makes sense. For almost all other events in the region, it seems a majority of system users are going to be going somewhere other than the event. Should I be charged $5 to go to Chinatown just because the Redskins are playing?

by Steven Yates on Mar 18, 2010 4:25 pm • link • report

those on the VA Orange Line (myself included) that could still be accomplished by taking the metro to L'Enfant and switching to the Yellow. it'd take longer, but do-able.

Sure it's do-able, but having all those people ride through the already congested downtown stations for seven extra stations doesn't seem very smart. Not to mention that, depending on where you started, it could double the length of your trip.

by Contractor on Mar 18, 2010 4:31 pm • link • report

eliminate overtime

give WMATA workers the same pension and health benefits that typical private sector workers get

transfer metrobus routes to local jurisdictions - this would get rid of the fat union contracts and $100,000 a year bus drivers

it's 4.35 now to ride from Vienna to Metro Center, no one's going to ride the Silver Line if its 7 or 8 bucks from Reston, will be cheaper to pay for parking downtown, if we continue to pay the average WMATA worker $32,000 in benefits - then we should expect Dulles Rail to be another low ridership boondoggle like SFO rail

by Kyle on Mar 18, 2010 4:33 pm • link • report

Apparently everyone doesn't mind supporting DC's jobs/welfare program: WMATA.

This is insane. The budget problems are BECAUSE of the insane labor costs!

by Dave on Mar 18, 2010 5:26 pm • link • report

Perhaps the bus operators are underpaid: I don't know. How about we find out by having Metro bid out to private companies to run various services. WMATA can provide the previously existing subsidy, and require a minimum level of service. Then, it is up to the contractor to meet those goals anyway it can.

by SJE on Mar 18, 2010 8:24 pm • link • report

Raising the rates is the only way to solve this.

Less attached cars? Less trains running? Things that would help but would not come close to solving this hole.

I suggest they also cut workers but many need them so maybe not

by Lious on Mar 18, 2010 9:47 pm • link • report

Sell it all for scrap.

by JAY on Mar 18, 2010 10:04 pm • link • report

I'm fumed that they took my recommendation to replace the rail weekly passes with flexible passes, and instead changed it to a recommendation to delete all passes. Nice.

During the recent 10 cent fare increase, they raised the price of the short rail pass by $1.50 per week without raising the value it's good for. They considered this "equivalent" but I don't see why.

The rail fast pass and bus passes were still good for unlimited trips.

by Michael Perkins on Mar 19, 2010 8:43 am • link • report

Levy a 0.5% income tax in DC, Fairfax, Arlington, PG, and Montgomery that auto-expires in 24 months with all revenue going towards metro. But I'm apparently a socialist.

by Matt on Mar 19, 2010 10:19 am • link • report

Your survey should have included a non of the above as an option. Also assumes that WMATA problems are simply revenue/ridership issues.

by Interested on Mar 19, 2010 10:31 am • link • report

Nowhere in the survey to comment about closing Judiciary Square and Federal Center SW on the weekends, or at least on Sundays. I suspect that a ridership survey would show that they're almost entirely work-week stops; anyone who really needs either of those stops on weekends could easily get off at Union Station or L'Enfant.

Truthfully, either stop could probably close at 11 PM or earlier on weeknights. On the London Underground, Cannon Street Tube station closes at 9 PM on weeknights, is open only from 7.30 AM to 7.30 PM on Saturdays, and is closed all day on Sundays. Chancery Lane and Temple stations used to close early or entirely on Sundays, too.

by sg on Mar 19, 2010 10:37 am • link • report

@ Brando: Eliminate the Blue Line

I take it you use the blue line on a daily basis to get from your home in Springfield to your work in Ballston?

I get sooo tired of clowns like you who can't think further than their nose is long. "I don't use it, so just eliminate it". If everybody had such a short-sighted egocentric attitude most people would favor the elimination of at least three and mostly four lines. This is not a good way to solve any problem.

by Jasper on Mar 19, 2010 10:44 am • link • report

@sg: The choices for closed stations seems to be a big bird flipped in Maryland's direction, namely that of transit-hostile Prince George's County. However, why they picked Deanwood miffs me. Aren't there plans to redevelop Deanwood? Wouldn't DC object to Deanwood?

Besides the obvious two, if Metro wanted to hurt Maryland, why not close Forest Glen down? Very little ridership, right near frequent bus service on the Q and Y lines on Georgia Ave, pretty close to both Silver Spring and Wheaton, why take it out just on PG?

by Jason on Mar 19, 2010 11:24 am • link • report

@Jasper: On the other hand, arguments of the form "What you're proposing would inconvenience some people, therefore it should be off the table" (and its variant form "What you're proposing would inconvenience some poor people. Why do you hate poor people?") also strike me as not such a good way to solve the problem.

by Johanna on Mar 19, 2010 12:54 pm • link • report

Why does the logic of "a fee increase makes sense but only if it's based on demand per-station" apply to raising the rates for bike lockers but not to raising the rates for reserved parking?

by Jacob on Mar 19, 2010 2:01 pm • link • report

There needs to be a way to raise money but it also should not disproportionaly effect a single area

No ways to increase funds should just be a f**k u to riders; all ways to increase funds should come with some benefits to riders either now or in the future.

Dock all board members pay when something is pushed back more than 1 and a half months.

Lower pay wages for all

Close stations that are in relatively work only areas

Close every 4th or 5th station on each line that way every last jurisdiction gets a station closed or atleast one station from all jurisdictions must close.

Dont not close two stations back to back no matter what.

Close either Farragut North or West on weekends at after 9pm on weekdays.

Raise fares 30 or 40 cents, plus can add peak of peak fare charge but all smartrip upgrades must be complete by a set date.

Raise cash bus fare & farecards 60 cents to 1 dollar on the condition that passes can be added to smartrip cards and all payment ways can function on there. Would reduce long term spending back having no need for paper passes.

Close Arlington Cemetery, Federal Center SW, Judicary Sq after 10 pm weekdays and all day on weekends
period no discussion on it.

Other stations can close but a Metrobus route must atleast serve the stations before and after which stop at the closed station.

(example if Deanwood closed you would have to operate a bus traveling between Minneosta Ave, Deanwood & Cheverly stations or between two of them with a decrease in fare to the station that before/after the closed station so that people whom live/work near the station are severly effected with no service and higher fare.)

Close station entrances is fine but all buses routes that serve the station must be rerouted to the other entrance as to not cause problems of getting to and from the bus/rail, rail/bus

Outsource some operations.

by kk on Mar 19, 2010 2:35 pm • link • report

How about a custom printed photo or logo on smartrip cards for 30 or 40 dollars per card with discounts as the more you buy; business would pay it for there employees and some groups/organizations would also.

Imagine the Smithsonian or all local Universities selling them in there Giftshops/Bookstores with either animals, museums, exhbits for the Smithsonian or Hoyas, Terpes, Firebirds, Colonials & Bison smartrip cards for universities.

by kk on Mar 19, 2010 2:49 pm • link • report

David-
Regarding your suggestion to eliminate the free fixed-route fare program for individuals that qualify for ADA complementary paratransit...I'd caution against this. This program encourages people with disabilities who qualify for paratransit to use the less costly mode (i.e., the fixed-route) when they are able to do so. Many transit systems implement this fare policy because it results in cost savings through avoided paratransit costs. Additional analysis may be warranted at the regional level.

Regarding cutting back to 3/4 mile... that would leave a lot of people with disabilities with no transportation options whatsoever-- especially in the suburbs. I think this would be a bad thing. Note: While I don't need/use paratransit service, I know people who do.

The COG along with the jurisdictions should engage the disability community on how to preserve mobility while containing paratransit costs. This conversation should not occur without the disability community, which I fear it has. As the saying goes: "Nothing about us without us!"

by Penny Everline on Mar 19, 2010 5:35 pm • link • report

Penny: the Feds only require a 3/4 mile radius for paratransit service. While WMATA has been very generous in providing service beyond that boundary, the problem as we're finding out is that from a cost perspective, such service is unsustainable without cutting significantly into Metro's other services (i.e. bus and rail).

by Froggie on Mar 19, 2010 10:20 pm • link • report

Another transit system (Portland, OR?) had an application to let you see the costs of the options you chose. Something like that would really let Metro passengers see and feel the effects of their choices before finalizing them.

by Chuck Coleman on Mar 20, 2010 10:56 am • link • report

@ Froggie: I know. I do trainings on this very topic (i.e., the ADA as it relates to transportation). The 3/4 mile radius around the fixed-route is a minimum requirement. I'm just saying... engage the disability community. And be aware that if you cut back to 3/4 mile with no other transportation options in place (i.e., transportation voucher programs, another type of demand response service, etc.), people will be stranded. There are social and economic consequences for leaving people with no transportation options.

by Penny Everline on Mar 21, 2010 6:59 pm • link • report

@Penny Everline: What reforms would the disability community propose? It is against the law to ration paratransit by limiting the purpose of trips, or to limit the number of trips per week or month. Other than cutting the eligibility boundary or significantly increasing the price outside the mandated area, what options are available that would significantly reduce the cost growth of the program?

I agree with you that taking away the free trips is a bad idea. Not only would it not raise much revenue, it would also take away any incentive to use the fixed route service, which is much cheaper than paratransit. I listened to the board committee hearing on the subject, and Metro's argument was that the people they were going to take free transit away from were granted Metroaccess eligibility because they are not able to ride fixed route transit without assistance, so if they're not able to ride fixed route transit, why should be give them free transit? The answer is that if they are accompanied by someone that can help them ride fixed route, and they prefer to ride fixed route, we should give them an incentive to ride fixed route. Otherwise, we have to provide them and their companion a heavily subsidized trip on paratransit.

I think it would be foolish to end a program that allows paratransit-eligible riders to ride fixed route transit for free. It doesn't cost much and potentially saves a lot.

What do you think of the proposal to not cut off service beyond the 3/4 mile boundary, but instead significantly increase the zone charges? The rates proposed (up to $5 per three-mile zone) are closer to a taxicab rate than before ($1 per three-mile zone).

by Michael Perkins on Mar 21, 2010 10:53 pm • link • report

The cost of paying cash on the bus needs to be raised significantly, to perhaps $2.00. That is the only way to change rider behavior, drive people towards increased SmarTrip use, which saves money. there has been sufficient warning, and lots of free Smartrip cards have been given away, and there are more free cards to be distributed. There is no excuse not to do this.

by KevinM on Mar 22, 2010 8:01 am • link • report

@ Kevin M

Exactly where were those free cards distributed from; I knew several people that were looking for them and could not find them.

by kk on Mar 23, 2010 6:56 pm • link • report

Being that I was not eligible and did not take part in the giveaway, I cannot give you the specific info, but as I understand it lots of cards were given away if not directly from Metro, then thru some of the various social service agencies in DC and the other jurisdictions.

by KevinM on Mar 24, 2010 6:57 am • link • report

Allow the private sector to analyze and grade your operation, provide recommendations to achieve efficiency.
Open the rail system up to USPS, FedEX and others, they can use it to move small items in and out of cities. DCA is currenlty on the line, it could be part of pilot program to derive data for future station design and provide revenue. use of the system by USPS, FedEx and others during traditional off-hours would limit disruptions and delays until a rapid load and unload system designed by companies subject to ROI could be rolled out during on-hours. Perhaps the end car could be designated for packages.
IAD will soon be on the line, so it could be used to move items in and out of the city during off hours.
Could this work?

by WilliamP on Apr 1, 2010 5:05 pm • link • report