grhqofb5 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I don't think fares can ever pay for Metro themselves. Fares have already risen like 50% in the past 6 years. As fares rise, ridership falls, and i don't think there is a point that Metro can pay for itself through fares because of that fall in ridership. I think everyone needs to take a more holistic view of DC-area transportation. The various governments should want a safe and relatively cost-effective (for the riders) Metro, because it keeps so many people off of the roads, which has a ton of advantages (less traffic, less pollution, less upkeep on the roads, less roads needing to be built, less police needed, etc). So basically the government should subsidize the metro instead of letting it succeed or fail on its own merits. How did it get to this point? The system was planned and installed through the use of public funds, and presumably someone must have asked whether it could be maintained through user fees thereafter. Or maybe that wasn't part of the analysis. I guess that it wouldn't be the first time that government assistance is needed to sustain a some sort of public system. I also guess that its needed. I guess that I just don't want to add another one. I also guess a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 So basically the government should subsidize the metro instead of letting it succeed or fail on its own merits. How did it get to this point? The system was planned and installed through the use of public funds, and presumably someone must have asked whether it could be maintained through user fees thereafter. Or maybe that wasn't part of the analysis. I guess that it wouldn't be the first time that government assistance is needed to sustain a some sort of public system. I also guess that its needed. I guess that I just don't want to add another one. I also guess a lot. Yes, the government should subsidize the metro rather than letting it succeed or fail on its own merits considering 1) almost all public transit systems are subsidized by their respective governments (for reasons I listed in post 50), and 2) Metro is a ****ing government agency (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority). To your second point (how did it get to this point?), the answer is mismanagement and funding issues. The people in charge kept kicking the can down the road and refused to deal with basic issues common to all large transit systems, and the system covers 2 states, and independent district, and happens to be in the seat of the federal government, but none of those 4 governments wants to pay for it (and one government's spending is controlled by people from far away who score political points for ****ing over the Washington area ... and another one is Congress /rimshot). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 So basically the government should subsidize the metro instead of letting it succeed or fail on its own merits. How did it get to this point? The system was planned and installed through the use of public funds, and presumably someone must have asked whether it could be maintained through user fees thereafter. Or maybe that wasn't part of the analysis. I guess that it wouldn't be the first time that government assistance is needed to sustain a some sort of public system. I also guess that its needed. I guess that I just don't want to add another one. I also guess a lot. you mean...like roads?? I haven;t paid the bill for my portion yet, have you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogofWar1 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 (and one government's spending is controlled by people from far away who score political points for ****ing over the Washington area ... and another one is Congress /rimshot). Yeah, at least Congresscritters have to live in their own mess for several months of the year. Richmondcritters don't, and screwing over NoVA is like a time honored tradition on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tshile Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 you mean...like roads?? I haven;t paid the bill for my portion yet, have you? I have it auto deducted from my paycheck. Set it and forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 you mean...like roads?? I haven;t paid the bill for my portion yet, have you? Theoretically, you pay at the pump. But that's the problem. Forgive me..but are there no local sales taxes covering portions of transit funding in NoVa/DC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeesburgSkinFan Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Metro you're doin' a heckuva job: Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Tuesday he seriously considered ordering a shutdown of the entire Washington Metro subway system last week and may still do that if local officials don’t follow Transportation Department safety directives. “We have the ability to withhold (federal) funds from Metro. We have the ability to shut Metro down, and we’re not afraid to use the authority we have,” Foxx said told reporters. “This is serious business.” Local officials have yet to identify the root cause of incidents involving electrical arcing, smoke and fire, and so have no plan for how to fix the problem, he said. http://wtop.com/sprawl-crawl/2016/05/dot-secretary-warns-he-could-shut-down-dc-subway-system/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 ****. My DC trip with the Family in a few weeks might turn out to be hell That's okay though Pleaseblitz and Corcaigh can chauffer us around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 ****. My DC trip with the Family in a few weeks might turn out to be hell That's okay though Pleaseblitz and Corcaigh can chauffer us around Don't mind me. When i go to tenn. in December, ,**** you too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 ****. My DC trip with the Family in a few weeks might turn out to be hell That's okay though Pleaseblitz and Corcaigh can chauffer us around When I looked at the schedule of the shutdowns for maintenance, I saw that it didnt start until June and thought "man, Zoony lucked the **** out." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Don't mind me. When i go to tenn. in December, ,**** you too. Hahaha I forget you are close I always think of you living in a coal mine or something I will text you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tshile Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Theoretically, you pay at the pump. But that's the problem. Forgive me..but are there no local sales taxes covering portions of transit funding in NoVa/DC? VA got rid of the gas tax, now it's all state tax. sales i think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Hahaha I forget you are close I always think of you living in a coal mine or something I will text you Lol what's your dates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Lol what's your dates Me you and PB should grab a beer. That is if my wife will let me. PB is buying he's a fancy pants lawyer nowadays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Me you and PB should grab a beer. That is if my wife will let me. PB is buying he's a fancy pants lawyer nowadays I'm happy to buy the first round. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grhqofb5 Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 you mean...like roads?? I haven;t paid the bill for my portion yet, have you? Taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Theoretically, you pay at the pump. But that's the problem. Forgive me..but are there no local sales taxes covering portions of transit funding in NoVa/DC? but the gas tax doesn;t cover the bill. I am sure this is a biased source (it was literally the first link i found) .... but it says that the gas tax now pays roughly 50% of the bill Taxes. like the taxes that should be used to support public transit? public transit is one of the DEFINITIONS of positive externalities --- something that is worth more to society than riders would pay for on their own--- it is worth subsidizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I'm happy to buy the first round. Ok so start with expensive mixed drinks 1st round, 40's of schlitz blue bull after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grhqofb5 Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 but the gas tax doesn;t cover the bill. I am sure this is a biased source (it was literally the first link i found) .... but it says that the gas tax now pays roughly 50% of the bill like the taxes that should be used to support public transit? public transit is one of the DEFINITIONS of positive externalities --- something that is worth more to society than riders would pay for on their own--- it is worth subsidizing. Is Metro worth subsidizing because a small portion of the workforce uses it, while the vast majority in the region does not? Or is it a service so important to the region that to do away with it would constitute a significant impediment to business? To compare metro to other basic services provided by the government (education, roads, law enforcement, courts, prisons, national defense, medicare) seems a bit of a stretch. Why should the taxpayers in Maryland, Virginia, and DC pay for the small number of people who depend on this service? I'm not saying that I'm against the idea of Metro, but the numbers are really a bit staggering when you look at what it actually brings in ($896 million plus some additional revenue from advertising) compared to the total budget of about $2.9 billion, mostly coming from state and local government, and federal funding ($1.7 billion). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 how much do you think the whole roads network in the greater DC area costs....? and... how much would it suck ass to be on those roads if suddenly 712,843 more people were on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I don't think 700,000+ people per day is such a small portion of the workforce. That is a very significant portion of the workforce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Genius Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Ok so start with expensive mixed drinks 1st round, 40's of schlitz blue bull after that. Don't lie. It'll be Beast every round. You guys are Mountaineers, damnit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I don't think 700,000+ people per day is such a small portion of the workforce. That is a very significant portion of the workforce. What about all the people just joy riding laps on 495? That's gotta inflate those numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elessar78 Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 I hate planes and I hate flying. Unfortunately sometimes I have to fly instead of drive. The only reason to take metro is convenience and when death is a regular issue it becomes more convenient to drive. edit: I should also say that when not being able to get to where you're trying to be, on time (when factoring in leaving earlier enough) is also an issue, driving becomes more convenient. Or if you have someone with a disability/handicap... it's a crap shoot which escalators and elevators will work in metro. The system is unreliable and unsafe. The people managing it should be charged for putting the people forced to take metro in danger on a daily basis. In japan, if the train is late by even a minute they get on the loud speaker and apologize. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted May 11, 2016 Share Posted May 11, 2016 Don't lie. It'll be Beast every round. You guys are Mountaineers, damnit. If Major is coming from WV, perhaps he can bring some shine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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