[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Will Success Spoil Metro Transit?

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Will Success Spoil Metro Transit?
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1214665322.shtml


   Name for me a business - even a school district - that wouldn't be
   thrilled to suddenly have significantly more customers. Among the
   thrilled, name one that would not immediately try to find out why and
   exploit that new found market segment even further.
   I'll give you one - Metro Transit.
   You've probably heard that transit fares will be rising, probably
   about 25 cents, probably around October 1st. [1]A number of public
   hearings are scheduled in July.
   Most of us will be paying more for transit July 1, however, when the
   sales tax goes up 0.25% in Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Dakota, and
   Washington Counties. Also starting July 1, you'll be paying a $20
   Transit Improvement Vehicle Excise Tax when you sell a vehicle
   registered in these Counties.
   But that's already figured into the projected $15 million shortfall in
   the fiscal year starting July 1. [2]As I posted earlier, that amount
   is suspiciously similar to the Light Rail subsidy. Increased business
   for an enterprise with such high fixed costs should more than cover
   the rising fuel costs.
   So what does Metro Transit do? Raise bus fares, which will reduce
   ridership by pushing some back into their cars or carpools. And not
   just this fall, and not just a quarter, mind you. The resolution also
   would grant authority for another increase of up to fifty cents in
   2009.
   What else can we do to discourage ridership? Let's expand the morning
   rush hour to start at 5:30 AM, not 6:00 AM, so we can charge 50 cents
   more for these early birds. Isn't the purpose of off-peak fares to
   encourage off-peak ridership?
   Oh, and let's make it complicated again, with the return of suburban
   fare zones to [DEL: nickel and dime :DEL] quarter and dollar us
   further.
   All of this of course is just a double shuffle to secretly get more
   Light Rail subsidies. They're going to need still more money to run
   the Central Corridor and the Metropolitan Council is willing to
   further degrade the bus service to get it.

References

   1. http://www.metrocouncil.org/news/2008/news_610.htm
   2. http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1213937003.shtml