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In 2015, TriMet's farebox recovery ratio was 39.1%. Funnily enough, that blog post seems to have made up the numbers out of thin air. They quote a 2011 FRR of
by Frondo 10y ago
In 2015, TriMet's farebox recovery ratio was 39.1%.
Funnily enough, that blog post seems to have made up the numbers out of thin air. They quote a 2011 FRR of 27.8%, while TriMet's published numbers are 35.9%.
Regardless, it's a public good. I simply wouldn't expect public transportation to make money, just like I wouldn't expect the court system or the DMV to make money. These things exist to benefit the city or state as a whole. I'm happy to pitch in.
How much it should be subsidized is a fair question, but that it should be at all, not even a concern for me.
(Source, TriMet's operations data: https://trimet.org/pdfs/publications/trimetridership.pdf https://trimet.org/pdfs/publications/trimetridership.pdf)
- akiselev 10y agoAnother factor to consider is the self fulfilling prophecy. Fiscal conservatives who are opposed to subsidizing public transportation throw up obstacle after obstacle, which drives up the cost and all but guarantees that the system will need to be subsidized, especially with underground mass transit. A single injunction stopping work for a few weeks while a judge reviews the case can cost an insane amount because you can't move the highly customized and now unutilized drill to an active work site or stop paying the highly specialized crew while they sit on their hands and maintain an imobile megamachine.
- trome 10y agoNeedless to say when it comes to roads they're opposed to tolling, and aren't willing to staunch the bleeding when it comes to maintenance or roadway construction.