Metro passes on fare hike, announces proposed cuts

[Scrabbleship]

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

[Tritransit Area]

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.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

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.

[WES]

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


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).

[WMATAGMOAGH]

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


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...

[WES]

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.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

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

[Scrabbleship]

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...

[Tritransit Area]

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!).

[WMATAGMOAGH]

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.

[Scrabbleship]

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."

[WMATAGMOAGH]

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.

[LandoverDivision]

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.

[79MetroExtraMD]

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?

[LandoverDivision]

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.