More on NYC transit passes
Bill Hough
GOVERNOR PATAKI INSTITUTES SWEEPING NYC DISCOUNT FARE PROGRAM
Ending weeks of advocacy, politicking and speculation about
the mounting operating budget surplus at the NYC Transit
Authority, New York Governor George Pataki today outlined a
comprehensive fare discount plan based on unlimited-ride
monthly, weekly and daily transit passes. By changing the
basis of subway and bus prices, the announcement marks a
watershed in NYC transit history and sets the stage for
impressive ridership gains.
The Governor's news conference was also striking for its
populist and environmental context. The Governor's companions
at the podium today in his midtown Manhattan office were the
Straphangers Campaign's Gene Russianoff, EDF counsel and Tri-
State Transportation Campaign chair Jim Tripp and Rich Kassel
of NRDC. No MTA officials accompanied the Governor, leading
to speculation that the plan is being imposed over some MTA
and Transit Authority reluctance.
"We have seen a surge in riders since full implementation
of the Metrocard -- the changes have worked," Pataki said. He
noted that this October had seen the most transit riders
since October of 1970, and predicted that his transit pass
program would add up to 100 million new rides per year to the
transit system. The Governor also noted that his plan would
provide a wide array of choices tailored to different transit
use markets and would "empower the rider to discover that
taking transit is better than getting in a car or cab."
"A pass will allow much greater mobility for transit
riders and that's great news for our economy. It also means
less traffic congestion, a saner city and cleaner air," said
Russianoff.
Kassel praised the boldness of the Governor's move.
Kassel noted that, together with his recent cancellation of a
major highway expansion project in Westchester County, Gov.
Pataki's fare policy was charting a new, environmentally
sensitive transportation strategy. EDF's Tripp said that
while world leaders generated hot air at the Kyoto global
warming summit, Governor Pataki was taking direct action to
reduce car trips and pollution.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
THE PLAN
* Unlimited ride monthly pass priced at $63. At 30 round
trips, the fare per ride would be $1.05.
* A weekly unlimited ride pass for $17.
* A daily unlimited ride pass for $4.
* Monthly express bus pass for $120 (also good for unlimited
access to subways and buses).
* Express bus base fare reduction from $4 to $3.
* Unspecified service increases.
* Senior citizens who enjoy a 50% discount will continue to
do so with the monthly and weekly passes.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HUGE WIN FOR STRAPHANGERS CAMPAIGN
The pending institution of transit fare passes in NYC -- an
issue barely acknowledged in the public realm before this
fall -- is a case study in adept public policy advocacy by the
Straphangers Campaign.
Straphangers' long engagement with the MTA and transit
budget issues made the group sensitive, with ridership and
the economy growing, to the possibility of a growing TA
budget surplus. With the suspicion confirmed, the
organization's media expertise enabled it to break the story
on a Daily News front page in October. Thereafter, the issue
generated public discussion that public officials could not
ignore or, in the case of Council Speaker Peter Vallone, were
positively attracted to.
Transit officials' fumbling over the issue became an MTA
public relations debacle, fueling media interest and
editorial demands that the surplus be devoted to better
transit surplus and rider incentives.
During the debate, tribute to Straphangers' influence on
transit affairs came in the form of mimicry -- the Daily News
launched a fax-the-Governor campaign, while Vallone deployed
staff to leaflet subway riders.
Such tactics have served rider interests well. As
Straphangers Campaign attorney Gene Russianoff said at the
Governor's press conference today, "If we've learned anything
in two decades of advocacy, it is that the fate and future of
the subways and buses rests in the hands of the people who
use them. Riders deserve the biggest thanks for winning
transit passes."
IMAGE: strap logo
* * *
LOOKING AHEAD: NYC TRANSIT RENAISSANCE?
Today, Governor Pataki said that sweeping fare policy changes
would "prepare the transit system for the 21st Century."
Spurred by fare incentives, New Yorkers are coming back to
the transit system in droves. It's likely that, coming on the
heels of 15 years of system rebuilding, the institution of
transit passes will bury forever the image of a decrepit
subway as a symbol of a declining city. What policy
challenges will political and transit leaders face in a new
era of transit optimism?
Short term
----------
* Keeping confidence in transit high requires strong subway
law enforcement. Though still down from the early 1990s,
subway crime has risen along with ridership this year.
Although Mayor Giuliani recently assigned more police
officers to the system, the demise of the Transit Police
means there no longer is a career track in subway policing.
NYPD's Transit Division should be restructured to provide
opportunities for long-term specialization in subway law
enforcement.
* New riders mean new demands for capacity -- in the short
run, that means added off-peak subway runs and more buses.
To minimize bus impacts, the TA should implement and expand
the natural gas bus program that it's been stalling on all
year.
Longer term
-----------
More people are riding buses, but in many areas, bus
service still operates at a crawl. The TA and NYC DOT must
get serious about bus lanes and make buses an efficient form
of travel. Complement rider incentives by shifting street
space from cars to transit.
* Longer-term transit capacity issues include through-put
capabilities of existing subways, which are limited by
antiquated signals, and the extent of the system (see 2nd Ave
Subway piece).
* Large-scale capital investment begs the question of overall
transportation priorities. Funds slated for road expansion in
NYC should be invested instead in attractive transit
services.
* As toll payment media are integrated around the region,
means of paying transit fares should be as well. Beyond that,
intermodal smart cards could be contemplated. In some
European cities, some varieties of annual or monthly car
payments incorporate a transit pass, adding incentive to
leave the car home. The EZ-Metrocard?
* * *
--
Bill Hough can be reached at brh...@ibm.net
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EIWA Miles
In a message dated 12/11/97 00:44:58, you wrote:
<< "We have seen a surge in riders since full implementation
of the Metrocard -- the changes have worked," Pataki said.>>
I seem to recall a thread several months ago from one or more folks who were
lambasting this Metrocard program as unworkable because no one would use it!
Where are they now?
John Harmon
Michael Ringbauer SysAdm
EIWA Miles <EIWA...@aol.com> writes:
> Subject: Re: More on NYC transit passes
> To: RAIL...@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU
If the NYCMTA wasn't phasing out tokens by eliminating ten-packs,
reducing token clerk staffing, etc... people would continue to
use the tokens instead of Metrocard. The NYCMTA could have offered
discounts for multiple token sales, transfers and two-fare zones but
chose not to. They only started these changes once Metrocard use
was greater and now with the recently discovered budget surplus.
It took media and political pressure to force them to offer
the discounts....
My personal use of the Metrocard is in conjunction with a monthly
Long Island Rail Road ticket that I purchase through their Mail & Ride
program. It started earlier this year and uses the back of the Metrocard
as your monthly ticket. This is good as far as not having to carry
two cards or standing on line at the ticket office.
But if you get the $60 option for a month of subway fares,
you may end up with extra fares to roll over into next month. Then you
end up carrying two cards for about a week or so. If you get the $30
option, you have to stand on line at a token booth to either add additional
fares to it or purchase pre-loaded Metrocards at the ticket office
or token booth. So you may have two cards again....
Now the LIRR is saying starting in January '98, if you have fares left
over at the end of the month, they will EXPIRE and you can't use them
the following month...What kind of sense does that make? Does this make
the Metrocard better to use. I thought one of the goals of Metrocard
was to enable riders to transfer between different transit systems
without complications. Hopefully they won't follow through with
this or I'll have to use the $30 option and plan how many additional
fares to add to the card each month....
All in all I don't mind using the Metrocard but if the NYCMTA starts
changing the rules once everyone has to use it in lieu of tokens,
riders have no alternative.
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