http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2009/03/metro_board_defeats_considerat.html (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/getthere/2009/03/metro_board_defeats_considerat.html)
DC derails a minor fare increase because "people might not be able to pay" and Metro takes their frustration out on Maryland. They'd better not screw with my J5...rerouting that to "local roads" pretty much gives gift travel to Ride On for those heading from Silver Spring to White Flint or Twinbrook.
And yet Nassau County gets to jack up their fare 75%, yet WMATA finds a nickel to be too high. A-freaking-mazing >:(
This is very interesting. WMATA finds 5 cents to be too much of a fare increase for people to pay (from 1.35 base fare cash - 1.25 Smartrip) yet MTA in New York plans to raise Nassau County's (LI Bus) fare from $2 to $3.50 with no unlimited passes valid on the system.
Very interesting how different areas are affected. I just hope the MD/VA cuts aren't too much. I'm guessing they really want to stick to the plan of raising fares no more than every 2-3 years.
It seems as if Jim Graham is the only person opposed to the 5 cent increase. They could have at least considered it in the hearing process but DC didn't approve.
If you want to know what is proposed to be cut then this link will tell you which routes are proposed to be cut and which will be changed either routing, frequency or shipped to the local T/As.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/Notice_of_Public_hearing.pdf (http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/Notice_of_Public_hearing.pdf)
My shock here is the proposed elimination of the C12,14. That would create an already heavy burden on the H11,12. If PG didn't have its own budget problems, then I would propose that route be given to THE BUS(yes i know it has Saturday service-but they have to start somewhere). What I don't get is that why wasn't cutting the F12's midday service ever mentioned. That route barely has ridership to begin with and that route would be another THE BUS candidate, just change the 27 to almost match the current F12's routing.
The other shock was the mention of a Circulator Express service on 14th street that is supposed to start April 1st(weird starting date for any route).
Quote from: WES on March 29, 2009, 03:55:13 PM
If you want to know what is proposed to be cut then this link will tell you which routes are proposed to be cut and which will be changed either routing, frequency or shipped to the local T/As.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/Notice_of_Public_hearing.pdf (http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/Notice_of_Public_hearing.pdf)
My shock here is the proposed elimination of the C12,14. That would create an already heavy burden on the H11,12. If PG didn't have its own budget problems, then I would propose that route be given to THE BUS(yes i know it has Saturday service-but they have to start somewhere). What I don't get is that why wasn't cutting the F12's midday service ever mentioned. That route barely has ridership to begin with and that route would be another THE BUS candidate, just change the 27 to almost match the current F12's routing.
The other shock was the mention of a Circulator Express service on 14th street that is supposed to start April 1st(weird starting date for any route).
I think that is the 98 replacement. It doesn't seem as if the 98 and N22 replacements are up and running just yet...
Unless that there will be a change in routing that "Express" route is supposed to run along 14th street from H Street up to Irving Street.
The 98 if I am correct runs nowhere on 14th Street, but from Dupont Circle, around Adams Morgan and to the Zoo. The zoo part might have been from another route.
Quote from: WES on March 29, 2009, 04:21:30 PM
Unless that there will be a change in routing that "Express" route is supposed to run along 14th street from H Street up to Irving Street.
The 98 if I am correct runs nowhere on 14th Street, but from Dupont Circle, around Adams Morgan and to the Zoo. The zoo part might have been from another route.
98 is Woodley Park to U Street Station via Calvert, 18th, and U. The new route map is online though, so here is the answer to our question:
http://www.dccirculator.com/map2009_20090327.pdf
Quote from: WMATAGMOAGH on March 28, 2009, 09:07:56 PM
It seems as if Jim Graham is the only person opposed to the 5 cent increase. They could have at least considered it in the hearing process but DC didn't approve.
So sad that one non-transit user's idea can lead to severe cuts that often seem nonsensical.
Aside from the fact that the man smelled the one time I met him, I hope he gets voted off the Metro board for this...
OH MY GOODNESS! Such draconian cuts! Of course, these aren't the worst ones, but NO Q2 service to Silver Spring or Shady Grove?! No C4 service to Twinbrook?! Eliminate GEORGE (or raise fare - raising the fare is more reasonable)?!
This is horrendous...and this could have been prevented with a 5 cent increase?! >:(
What kind of morons are making decisions like this? There are many TA's out there that can only DREAM of having their budget problems solved by raising the fare just 5 cents. And it's not like WMATA is an expensive system to ride, especially with the free regional transfers (with Smartrip only!).
I don't think a 5 cent fare increase would have put off all the cuts, but it would have helped.
GEORGE is low ridership based on my limited experience. IIRC, it doesn't even run outside of rush hours anymore.
The person to blame is one Jim Graham. You may have seen him before...wears glasses and a bowtie, fights for transit though he rarely rides. He singlehandedly derailed a fare increase.
I find it funny that our fares are so low but many areas with a lower cost of living have higher fares. It's time to stop looking solely at Southeast and Mount Pleasant and consider that a hike might not be that devestating to the "poor."
Quote from: Scrabbleship on April 03, 2009, 02:31:42 PM
The person to blame is one Jim Graham. You may have seen him before...wears glasses and a bowtie, fights for transit though he rarely rides. He singlehandedly derailed a fare increase.
I find it funny that our fares are so low but many areas with a lower cost of living have higher fares. It's time to stop looking solely at Southeast and Mount Pleasant and consider that a hike might not be that devestating to the "poor."
So what do you propose in that case?
I do think the budget situation has been further complicated by the fact that Metro has not opted for the maximum fare increases possible when they've come up in recent years, which just results in a larger shortfall the next year. I think that a 5 cent across the board increase coupled with some service cuts is reasonable in light of the current situation, and finding things that aren't necessary to do right now (COUGHrepaintingCOUGHbusesCOUGHthatareCOUGHbrandCOUGHnew) would help as well.
Why in the hell would they eliminate the Q2 (South of Wheaton)? And eliminate the C2, C4? HUGE HUGE Mistake! I wouldn't increase the gap times on the A12. That's a very big mistake. It's going to cost them big time if they do this.
Ugh. This topic again. Either have to pay more for the same service or face cuts. People are still trying to get adjusted to the last fare increase. Having another one tacked on complicates things even more. As for 5 cents, was this for bus or rail or both?
I would rather have a fare increased to 5 cents then to cut bus service. I think it was just for the bus but I'm not sure.
When are we going to realize that we have to roll with the punches until things clear up? Of course there will be things that we don't like (thats why you go to the meetings to voice your opinion), we just have to live with it.
A 5 cent fare increase would not come even close to the savings that the proposals will bring. Desperate times come from desperate measures. The Q2 does not need to run past Wheaton, especially with the Y's and RO routes that come through there. Enough with the duplicative service.
The C4 not going past Wheaton, that's debatable but if the J5 is going to help out during peak hours, then that's just going to have to suffice.
As for frequency adjustments, that's a no brainer. The way I see it, as long as a person still has the transportation, then they'll just have to adjust to it. We're going to do this in Vegas and I really don't want to hear the flack because it's either that or we cut big time.
Source: http://wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2566 (http://wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=2566)
Few bus service cuts for Metro riders
For immediate release: April 30, 2009
Metro Board decides against most Metrobus service adjustments
Most Metrobus riders will not face bus service cuts this summer after Metro's Board decided to tap a reserve fund and move forward with fewer bus cuts in suburban Maryland and Alexandria to balance Metro's fiscal 2010 budget.
Metrobus riders, mainly in Montgomery and Prince George's counties but also in the District of Columbia, Alexandria, Arlington County and Falls Church, faced more than $13 million in bus service cuts. Board members decided today to use more than $13 million from a reserve fund, pay higher subsidies and cut about $3 million in bus service in Montgomery County, Md. and Alexandria, Va., to close a $29 million gap. Arlington County's ART bus service also will take over operating the 22B and 24P routes.
"We've balanced the budget with minimal impact on riders," said Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham. "More people are using transit these days to save money. It only makes sense to protect as many services as we can."
Under the new budget plan, three routes would be eliminated, some service would be cut on a fourth route, one line would be restructured, one route would gain service and fares would increase on three routes. Metro riders who board the J7, J9 I-270 Express buses in Montgomery County and the W19 Indian Head Express in Prince George's County would pay the $3.10 cash express fare or $3 with a SmarTrip card. Riders have been paying the regular $1.25 SmarTrip card fare or $1.35 cash fare for express service. The L7 (Connecticut Ave to Maryland line) route would be eliminated but extra buses would be added to the L8 route. The C7, C9 (Greenbelt to Glenmont) and some off-peak service on the Z2 (Colesville to Ashton) routes also would be eliminated. The 21 A, B, C, D and F (Landmark-Pentagon) routes would be consolidated into a single route.
Earlier this year, Metro announced it faced a $154 million shortfall for fiscal year 2010. Metro managers are already making $81 million in internal cuts, including eliminating 313 positions. The gap was reduced further by increasing revenue and cost savings estimates, leaving a $29 million budget gap. Metro budget managers have laid out several options for balancing the $1.3 billion proposed operating spending plan since January. The District of Columbia, City of Alexandria, Arlington County, City of Falls Church and the State of Maryland had proposed bus service cuts and adjustments that would have impacted 72 routes on 42 bus lines throughout the region with an average daily ridership of 60,000 trips. The governments also proposed subsidy increases to help balance the budget. Fairfax City and Fairfax County also proposed no service cuts.
Earlier this month, Metro held six public hearings in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and northern Virginia to get riders' input on the changes. Comments were received from 2,679 people including 159 individuals who testified at the hearings. The vast majority were against the service changes, which included increasing the interval between bus arrival times on 28 routes region-wide and eliminating or restructuring 35 other bus routes, mostly in Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland.
Due to the economic downturn, transit agencies around the country have been imposing fare increases, budget cuts and layoffs.
The cost of Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess services is funded in part by passenger revenues and, in part, by subsidies provided by the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland and local jurisdictions in Virginia.
Metro's Board is expected to take a final vote on the fiscal 2010 budget in June.
###
Media contact for this news release: Candace Smith and Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.