Comments on: Hold your nose and open your wallet for higher BART fares

By: Bay Area Rapid Taxation

Bay Area Rapid Taxation — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:08:20 +0000

Need to get a clue here folks.

Read stats in BANG editorial.

Michael – That other forms of public tranport are subsidized is not a rationalization for the lax management of contracts/salaries and benefits.

Take a look at what’s going on around you in the private sector. Cuts, Cuts, Cuts, Cuts Cuts – - – - and it’s about time that those who are in the public sector OR THOSE WHO ARE SUBSIDIZED BY THE PUBLIC begin sucking their fair share of the same economic swill the rest of us are drinking.

This is NOT purely an hourly salary rollback, retirement and health/medical benefits need serious cuts as well.

Loads, and loads, and loads of intelligent and educated people are out of work right now and, trust me, they can quickly learn how to safely operate (or clean up) a BART train and handle the very difficult tasks you ask of current employees. It aint rocket science.

While we’re at it – all of this talk about the rising costs and increasing/decreasing services has me thinking that if the trains truly can’t pay for themselves – maybe its time to start thinking about REDUCING or ELIMINATING services ! Who knows – maybe once all of the numbers are brought into daylight, we’ve got another mis-managed General Motors situation on our hands. Just maybe the larger community is paying to subsidize a wonderful transit benefit for a relative few.

By: Michael Krueger

Michael Krueger — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:27:21 +0000

For the record, I agree that transit should be viewed an essential public service, not something that’s expected to pay for itself. I included the joke only to drive home the point that fares don’t cover the cost of operations, since I have seen a number of people respond to the current budget crisis by asking transit agencies to increase service in order to increase their fare revenue.

In fact, the joke applies equally to roads and airports, which don’t pay for themselves, either. No, gas taxes, tolls, and parking charges don’t cover the full cost of roads and parking, nor do air fares and passenger facility charges cover the full cost of airports and air travel.

By: Queen

Queen — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:38:27 +0000

David, I’m only now catching up with your comments – thanks for #1, I thought the angle the photographer used and the lighting made it look like an extremely chrome yellow moonscape

I think that’s an excellent point about BART and the Fire Department, since BART is publicly funded and provides an essential service.

By: david vartanoff

david vartanoff — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:22:43 +0000

1. the pic in another thread is of the plastic platform edging.
2. As to airport workers, there was a very ugly story some six months after the SF airport extension opened. A worker was profiled who had commuted by SamTrans express bus using a ST monthly pass thus a fairly civil and affordable commute to his low wage job @ SFO. after BART opened the express bus was cancelled, and the only way he could AFFORD the commute changed to a very long trip by SamTrans local buses–time door to work either doubled or tripled. So unless the airport can FORCE BART to GIVE any airport worker a real pass, these low wage guys will just be squeezed harder.
3 As to pricing/volume/profits, unlike the merchants, BART is a PUBLIC SERVICE–sorta like the Fire Dept. We do not expect the FD to show a profit, we DO consider HAVING a FD a mark of civilised society.

By: Michael Krueger

Michael Krueger — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:38:37 +0000

That would be a lovely plan if BART fares actually covered the cost of providing the service. Unfortunately, they do not, and cutting the fares would only widen this gap.

BART is in the same position as “Merchant #3″ in the old joke:

Merchant #1: “I have the lowest prices in town. I sell everything at 10% above cost.”

Merchant #2: “Are you kidding? Those aren’t low prices. I always sell at just 5% above cost.”

Merchant #3: “You two clowns call those low prices? That’s nothing. I sell everything BELOW cost.”

Merchants #1 and #2 (in unison): “That’s crazy! How do you make any money?”

Merchant #3: “VOLUME!”

By: Chris K.

Chris K. — Sun, 31 May 2009 21:38:16 +0000

If fares are reduced, more people will ride. If more people ride, BART will get more money. If BART gets more money, they can spend money to increase service!

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 31 May 2009 16:40:47 +0000

As a regular flyer, this $2.50 surcharge is such a ripoff. Why do I have to pay so much more per mile than anyone else?

I feel really bad for the employees who have to pay this daily. I’ll only have to pay it 6 or 8 times a month.

By: Scott Mace

Scott Mace — Sun, 31 May 2009 04:26:57 +0000

One thing the board didn’t demand and didn’t get was a rigorous staff analysis of the notion to charge market-rate parking. Tom Radulovich was the only board member who demanded more from staff. It’s a shame since staff bends over backwards to study so much else it proposes, and directors admit that the idea of market-rate parking has been discussed at the board since the early 90s…but staff refuses to pony up hard data to help the board make an informed decision.

By: Queen

Queen — Sat, 30 May 2009 22:01:15 +0000

So, David, I guess you don’t believe those assurances that BART will try to get airport bosses to provide some relief for airport workers?

Chris, I agree. But how can they do it?

By: Chris K.

Chris K. — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:35:21 +0000

Oh, no! Higher fares! Public transit it doing the opposite lately than what it should be. They should find ways to increase service and decrease fares.