4 ms·

If someone is making minimum wage, I doubt they are commuting from Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale in the first place.

• noobermin 8y ago
  If you commute using this, it would cost 100usd a week. Doesn't seem feasible except for the upper middle class.
  • strictnein 8y ago
    Assuming no discounts for frequent use, $400 is less than a car payment, insurance, maintenance, and gas would be. If there are discounts it would be even more reasonable, especially for middle class families trying to decide whether or not to get a second vehicle.
    • noobermin 8y ago
      I definitely agree with you re the cost of owning a car but I don't think people will sell their car to just ride this train. They still have to alight and navigate either city using their possibly poor transit system. Could see it making an effect on marginal[0] decisions (like buying a second car as you state) but it still sounds more to me like being used more for one off trips than for commuting. It's far to expensive for that. [0] marginal in the economic sense
      • usrusr 8y ago
        One-off trips require learning a new mode of transport, so one-off are a natural weak spot of a "new" mode of transport. (how much time buffer do I need at the station, how do I conveniently pay for my ticket and so on). Getting people to switch rarely happens. Your best bet, as a new rail line are people whose regular transportation demands change while the line is still new and shiny (e.g. new job at the far end of the line, do I drive/move/rail?). This also meshes very well with the real estate development model of financing the line.