7 ms·

Cutting corners and costs e.g. shutting ticket offices, doing just enough to barely offer the service. It's not like your passengers have any sensible alternati

by jleask 3y ago

Cutting corners and costs e.g. shutting ticket offices, doing just enough to barely offer the service. It's not like your passengers have any sensible alternative. If that doesn't do it then you can also load the company up with debt and pay yourself a nice dividend until rates rise.

danuker 3y ago
> load the company up with debt and pay yourself a nice dividend I am new to this. Doesn't a dividend come from profits? What profits are there if you need debt? And who will loan to you if your business plan is to exit scam?
- lmm 3y ago
  > Doesn't a dividend come from profits? A dividend can be paid with money from any source, it's all money. > And who will loan to you if your business plan is to exit scam? Ambitious junior bankers. Or you get the government to guarantee your debt.
- scott_w 3y ago
  > What profits are there if you need debt? And who will loan to you if your business plan is to exit scam? If you’re a water company, after government bailed out the banks, chances were good you’re not going bust. What are they going to do? Let the entire population of London die of dehydration?
  - toyg 3y ago
    And since a lot of investors in large utility companies are international, should the government somehow not make them whole (or worse, just expropriate), there would typically be repercussions - with international arbitration courts adjudicating reparation with processes that are typically stacked in favour of businesses. It's a sham market.
    - scott_w 3y ago
      I just explained the thought process, I never said it was guaranteed to hold true.
iso1631 3y ago
> shutting ticket offices Why should I pay higher prices/taxes to keep ticket offices 90% of the country and increasing don't use open? International Airlines finished moving to e-ticketing 15 years ago
- bambataa 3y ago
  Why should I pay to maintain a road I’m not using now, or a fire service I haven’t used yet?
  - iso1631 3y ago
    Because ticket offices are a costly relic from the 20th century that simply are not needed, as evidenced by the collapsing usage of them.
    - rrrhys 3y ago
      Company: "Use the app" / cut back front line staff People: "ugh, I will use the app" Company: "Look, nobody uses the front line staff"
    - richbell 3y ago
      There's a considerable portion of the population that does not own or feel comfortable using the Internet, and would prefer in-person interactions.
      - iso1631 3y ago
        And they should thus pay the extra cost for that privilege. 30 years ago Terry Wogan was using his radio 2 breakfast show telling the 40-60 demographic how to send emails and watch his webcam. That demographic are now 70-90. I do sympathise for independent 95 year olds who can't use a ticket machine. I'd rather we spent the money in a far better way -- increasing services for example.
    - ClumsyPilot 3y ago
      Have you ever tried to get off the train in a wheelchair? Or find out which stations have wheelchair access?
solardev 3y ago
Sounds like Amtrak... the zombie of a train service, constantly revived by new cash injections from Congress whenever it does poorly (which is always)

by jleask 3y ago

danuker 3y ago

> load the company up with debt and pay yourself a nice dividend I am new to this. Doesn't a dividend come from profits? What profits are there if you need debt? And who will loan to you if your business plan is to exit scam?

lmm 3y ago
> Doesn't a dividend come from profits? A dividend can be paid with money from any source, it's all money. > And who will loan to you if your business plan is to exit scam? Ambitious junior bankers. Or you get the government to guarantee your debt.
scott_w 3y ago
> What profits are there if you need debt? And who will loan to you if your business plan is to exit scam? If you’re a water company, after government bailed out the banks, chances were good you’re not going bust. What are they going to do? Let the entire population of London die of dehydration?
- toyg 3y ago
  And since a lot of investors in large utility companies are international, should the government somehow not make them whole (or worse, just expropriate), there would typically be repercussions - with international arbitration courts adjudicating reparation with processes that are typically stacked in favour of businesses. It's a sham market.
  - scott_w 3y ago
    I just explained the thought process, I never said it was guaranteed to hold true.

iso1631 3y ago

> shutting ticket offices Why should I pay higher prices/taxes to keep ticket offices 90% of the country and increasing don't use open? International Airlines finished moving to e-ticketing 15 years ago

bambataa 3y ago
Why should I pay to maintain a road I’m not using now, or a fire service I haven’t used yet?
- iso1631 3y ago
  Because ticket offices are a costly relic from the 20th century that simply are not needed, as evidenced by the collapsing usage of them.
  - rrrhys 3y ago
    Company: "Use the app" / cut back front line staff People: "ugh, I will use the app" Company: "Look, nobody uses the front line staff"
  - richbell 3y ago
    There's a considerable portion of the population that does not own or feel comfortable using the Internet, and would prefer in-person interactions.
    - iso1631 3y ago
      And they should thus pay the extra cost for that privilege. 30 years ago Terry Wogan was using his radio 2 breakfast show telling the 40-60 demographic how to send emails and watch his webcam. That demographic are now 70-90. I do sympathise for independent 95 year olds who can't use a ticket machine. I'd rather we spent the money in a far better way -- increasing services for example.
  - ClumsyPilot 3y ago
    Have you ever tried to get off the train in a wheelchair? Or find out which stations have wheelchair access?

solardev 3y ago

Sounds like Amtrak... the zombie of a train service, constantly revived by new cash injections from Congress whenever it does poorly (which is always)