The cost of operating our buses works out to around $2.60 per trip--not an ideal measure, since "trip" makes no reference to travel time or distance, but oh well. Not everyone can pay this, so our base fare is $1.25 per trip. You pay less if you buy transfers, passes, etc.
-
-
...it turns out $0.60 is too much for some people to pay, too. It strikes me that trying to set the price based on the ability of the poorest to pay is an unviable strategy. Right off the bat, it guarantees that our bus service will depend heavily on the charity of non-riders...
Show this thread -
...and that whatever budget they're willing to put together might not line up with the needs of an actually useful transit system. If the system they pay for is subpar, anyone with an option will avoid it, cutting off even more possible revenue.
Show this thread -
The result of trying to operate transit as a sort of charity transport of last resort ends up fucking over the people who DO use it (because it doesn't go as frequently as they need, or to half the destinations they want, and they STILL struggle to pay) *and* the people who DON'T
Show this thread -
Imagine if we applied the same reasoning we use in transport to, say, food distribution: if grocery stores charged, say, $5 per item (any item) instead of charging market rate for most and letting those who need it use gov aid.
Show this thread -
Rather than subject grocery stores to the insane logic of public transit, I'm interested in doing the reverse: base transit fares on the ACTUAL COST of providing the service, and offer discounted or free passes as a welfare benefit for those who need it.
Show this thread -
I contend that the result would be a much more extensive transit network, used by a much broader range of the population, largely independent of shifts in the whims of taxpayers. Admittedly we have a very low bar to clear in these respects.
Show this thread
End of conversation
New conversation -
Loading seems to be taking a while.
Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.