Transit Prices Increase 50%

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: RichardE

Originally posted by: Stunt
Since I've started my career and live relatively far from home, I typically talk to my parents on the weekend; keeping each other's lives in the know.

My parents live in a small town of 9,000 people ~45mins away from Ottawa (fairly big city). My mom is an insurance broker in Ottawa and to save money she takes the bus to work instead of driving alone everyday. Which I 100% support, carpooling is a great way to save money, reduce traffic and smog.

Recently the bus she takes raised prices from $50 to $75 a week for round trip 5 days a week. My mom is somewhat stingy and has complained the company, she has pointed out that it is cutting into people's grocery bills and the like (kinda ironic given she makes ~$60k and my dad makes ~$120k). So now she has the transit authority involved, has created a committee to lobby municipal government to help subsidize the price increase.

I asked her the last time there was a price increase, and she said 4 years ago! 4 years?! In that time fuel costs have gone up 40%, inflation and labour costs have gone up at least 3% a year. If you consider the opportunity costs of insurance, gas, maintenance, over the same 4 year period, this increase is not unreasonable.

I hope my mom loses this battle, what are your thoughts on this?

Canadian bus companies get subsidize already. You were around Toronto enough, you should know this. A 25$ increase for the bus is huge. People who are in the income bracket your parents are in typically do not take the bus. The people who typically do take the bus are students and people on or below the poverty line. Students get there passes for free from most universities. People on the poverty line will be hurt immensely, as that is 200$ a month extra. People on welfar get there bus passes as a condition of Ontario works. So in the end, you will end up paying for the increase, either through higher taxes, or through your kids tuition if they go to that school.

So as someone who complains about taxes already, you should hope your mom wins, as you will subsidize any increase in bus prices when Ontario works suddenly has to pay 200$ more to every person on welfare a month for there bus pass in that region.

Faulty logic. Taxpayers are footing the bill either way. Either they pay the extra fees for the those that receive assistance or they're subsidizing the buses at below actual operating costs. It's not like charging less suddenly makes the bus cheaper to operate. If the prices stay low, the taxpayers are subsidizing the cost of all riders, not just the ones on assistance.

Edit: Not to mention, ~4 weeks in a month at $25/wk is $100/mo, not $200.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: RichardE

Canadian bus companies get subsidize already. You were around Toronto enough, you should know this. A 25$ increase for the bus is huge. People who are in the income bracket your parents are in typically do not take the bus. The people who typically do take the bus are students and people on or below the poverty line. Students get there passes for free from most universities. People on the poverty line will be hurt immensely, as that is 200$ a month extra. People on welfar get there bus passes as a condition of Ontario works. So in the end, you will end up paying for the increase, either through higher taxes, or through your kids tuition if they go to that school.

So as someone who complains about taxes already, you should hope your mom wins, as you will subsidize any increase in bus prices when Ontario works suddenly has to pay 200$ more to every person on welfare a month for there bus pass in that region.

Serious pwnage :thumbsup: :laugh:

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: RichardE

Canadian bus companies get subsidize already. You were around Toronto enough, you should know this. A 25$ increase for the bus is huge. People who are in the income bracket your parents are in typically do not take the bus. The people who typically do take the bus are students and people on or below the poverty line. Students get there passes for free from most universities. People on the poverty line will be hurt immensely, as that is 200$ a month extra. People on welfar get there bus passes as a condition of Ontario works. So in the end, you will end up paying for the increase, either through higher taxes, or through your kids tuition if they go to that school.

So as someone who complains about taxes already, you should hope your mom wins, as you will subsidize any increase in bus prices when Ontario works suddenly has to pay 200$ more to every person on welfare a month for there bus pass in that region.

Serious pwnage :thumbsup: :laugh:

Dave, only you could think that was anything remotely resembling "ownage." :roll:

 

[smack Down]

I asked her the last time there was a price increase, and she said 4 years ago! 4 years?! In that time fuel costs have gone up 40%, inflation and labour costs have gone up at least 3% a year. If you consider the opportunity costs of insurance, gas, maintenance, over the same 4 year period, this increase is not unreasonable.

So the cost to run the bus has increased a lot less then 50% yet somehow you think a 50% increase in price is justified?

 

[RichardE]

Originally posted by: BoberFett

Originally posted by: RichardE

Originally posted by: Stunt
Since I've started my career and live relatively far from home, I typically talk to my parents on the weekend; keeping each other's lives in the know.

My parents live in a small town of 9,000 people ~45mins away from Ottawa (fairly big city). My mom is an insurance broker in Ottawa and to save money she takes the bus to work instead of driving alone everyday. Which I 100% support, carpooling is a great way to save money, reduce traffic and smog.

Recently the bus she takes raised prices from $50 to $75 a week for round trip 5 days a week. My mom is somewhat stingy and has complained the company, she has pointed out that it is cutting into people's grocery bills and the like (kinda ironic given she makes ~$60k and my dad makes ~$120k). So now she has the transit authority involved, has created a committee to lobby municipal government to help subsidize the price increase.

I asked her the last time there was a price increase, and she said 4 years ago! 4 years?! In that time fuel costs have gone up 40%, inflation and labour costs have gone up at least 3% a year. If you consider the opportunity costs of insurance, gas, maintenance, over the same 4 year period, this increase is not unreasonable.

I hope my mom loses this battle, what are your thoughts on this?

Canadian bus companies get subsidize already. You were around Toronto enough, you should know this. A 25$ increase for the bus is huge. People who are in the income bracket your parents are in typically do not take the bus. The people who typically do take the bus are students and people on or below the poverty line. Students get there passes for free from most universities. People on the poverty line will be hurt immensely, as that is 200$ a month extra. People on welfar get there bus passes as a condition of Ontario works. So in the end, you will end up paying for the increase, either through higher taxes, or through your kids tuition if they go to that school.

So as someone who complains about taxes already, you should hope your mom wins, as you will subsidize any increase in bus prices when Ontario works suddenly has to pay 200$ more to every person on welfare a month for there bus pass in that region.

Faulty logic. Taxpayers are footing the bill either way. Either they pay the extra fees for the those that receive assistance or they're subsidizing the buses at below actual operating costs. It's not like charging less suddenly makes the bus cheaper to operate. If the prices stay low, the taxpayers are subsidizing the cost of all riders, not just the ones on assistance.

Not true, since the bus companies is not fully subsidized. The bus gets an alloted subsidies per annun, they do not get to bill the government there expenses as it is a private company. So yes, if the price of bus goes up, you get to pick up the welfare tab. That is for passes. Bus lines increase passes price as a way of billing the government, since it is guranteed cash. Welfare people need to ride busses. When the bus is having a shortfall and need to make it up, than you will see ticket/cash fare prices go up. These are not subsidized and will bring in more profit.

 

[Stunt]

Originally posted by: smack Down

I asked her the last time there was a price increase, and she said 4 years ago! 4 years?! In that time fuel costs have gone up 40%, inflation and labour costs have gone up at least 3% a year. If you consider the opportunity costs of insurance, gas, maintenance, over the same 4 year period, this increase is not unreasonable.

So the cost to run the bus has increased a lot less then 50% yet somehow you think a 50% increase in price is justified?

Where has anyone said "cost to run the bus has increased a lot less then 50%"?
I think costs have gone up at least that much in 4years.

 

[wazzledoozle]

What kind of bus costs $50 a week :Q

Here it is 0.50 $ and your pass lasts a few hours/half of day (you can get off and get on other buses)

 

[Steeplerot]

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle
What kind of bus costs $50 a week :Q

Here it is 0.50 $ and your pass lasts a few hours/half of day (you can get off and get on other buses)

Sounds nice, ours have gone from $1.00 to 1.50 in the past 3 years or so, but the xfers still last for a goodly amount of time (and if you get one after 10pm it lasts till 6am)

Late Night Special ftw

 

[wazzledoozle]

Originally posted by: Steeplerot

Originally posted by: wazzledoozle
What kind of bus costs $50 a week :Q

Here it is 0.50 $ and your pass lasts a few hours/half of day (you can get off and get on other buses)

Sounds nice, ours have gone from $1.00 to 1.50 in the past 3 years or so, but the xfers still last for a goodly amount of time (and if you get one after 10pm it lasts till 6am)

Late Night Special ftw

Wtf how did you quote above me :Q

Anyways, I forgot that 0.50 is the 17 and under fee, adults are 1.50. Still a hell of a lot cheaper than $50 or $75 a week.