YESSSS possible flat rate for BART!!!

[Syringer]

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/ci_4352644

As it stands my 34 minute ride into San Francisco runs $4.30 each way, while others may pay even more.

If this passes it could save me over $25 a month.

This would be a great idea to increase usage of the system and reduce traffic/pollution..which doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.

Before I went to Europe I always thought Bart was priced relatively well..as the same drive would cost me about $9/day in gas and $3 in toll..plus $30 a day for parking.

However other than England, BART is way overpriced, mainly due to them having one the strongest unions in the Bay Area.

If there's any threat that they're going to strike (or that they're the least bit unhappy for whatever reason), which would basically shut the Bay down in the process, the people will do anything in their power to make them happy.

 

[eflat]

It's about freaking time.

Let's see: $6.50 x 6 for a group of six to go to the city: $39

Cost of gas for those 15 miles: >$2.00

Gee I wonder why nobody rides bart.

 

[herkulease]

I doubt it.

Bart only sees increases when it was free for those spare the air days. ridership has been relatively stagnant for sometime.

extending it down to san jose as some people want won't relieve traffic problems. many of the suburbs have poor access to public transportation. I can't remember who published it but the bulk of san jose's doesn't live downtown where there's amtrak or was the caltrain(near the arena), numerous light rail lines and bus lines.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
It's about freaking time.

Let's see: $6.50 x 6 for a group of six to go to the city: $39

Cost of gas for those 15 miles: >$2.00

Gee I wonder why nobody rides bart.

+ parking ??

my car doesnt fit 6 people

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: CitizenDoug
It's about freaking time.

Let's see: $6.50 x 6 for a group of six to go to the city: $39

Cost of gas for those 15 miles: >$2.00

Gee I wonder why nobody rides bart.

Since when is Martinez 15 miles away from SF?

Your point is well taken though.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

You know why I hate BART? Because during the morning every seat in every car is full by Concord and you still have like 8 stops till the city. And I never sit if a lady or older gentleman needs a seat, so that means I stand there holding on to some greasy hand rail, if I'm lucky, trying not to breath too deep, staring uncomfortably at the reflections of other people in the windows. Plus, whenever I get to the station, there's knot in my stomach because I need to stand in line to buy a ticket then race upstairs......all the while dreading the sound of the train nearing the station which means I'll be 15 minutes late wherever I'm going if I miss it.

Not to mention, unless you work off freaking Market St, you still need to find a way to wherever else you work in the 96% of the city BART doesn't run to. Plus it pisses me off when those bastard "conductors" go on strike when they need to just be replaced with a computer. Feel appreciative you have such a joke of a job that gets paid so well and STFU about your damn medical copay.

BART was a halfassed project and it shows. Hell, it could be free and it still wouldn't be worth riding. It needs to be faster and more frequent and go more places which it can never do in its current form.

 

[Syringer]

You know why I hate BART? Because during the morning every seat in every car is full by Concord and you still have like 8 stops till the city. And I never sit if a lady or older gentleman needs a seat, so that means I stand there holding on to some greasy hand rail, if I'm lucky, trying not to breath too deep, staring uncomfortably at the reflections of other people in the windows.

Welcome to every train system in the entire world. Try checking out Japan/New York or even London sometime..

Otherwise I do agree with the rest of your post. Those ticket booth guys with no college degree get $30/hr, and the engineers with minimal experience (and many without a college degree) get well over 6 digits..

Although the stops for people working in the city are quite sensible. Most places in the financial district are no more than a half mile away from the Embarcadero stop..where parking can be as high as $30 a day.

 

[Baked]

Only poor people commute to The City 'cause they're too poor to buy a house in it. I kid I kid.

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: herkulease
I doubt it.

Bart only sees increases when it was free for those spare the air days. ridership has been relatively stagnant for sometime.

extending it down to san jose as some people want won't relieve traffic problems. many of the suburbs have poor access to public transportation. I can't remember who published it but the bulk of san jose's doesn't live downtown where there's amtrak or was the caltrain(near the arena), numerous light rail lines and bus lines.

If ridership increases when it's free, don't you think it'll increase if it's cheaper?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Syringer

You know why I hate BART? Because during the morning every seat in every car is full by Concord and you still have like 8 stops till the city. And I never sit if a lady or older gentleman needs a seat, so that means I stand there holding on to some greasy hand rail, if I'm lucky, trying not to breath too deep, staring uncomfortably at the reflections of other people in the windows.

Welcome to every train system in the entire world. Try checking out Japan/New York or even London sometime..

Big difference. In someplace like NYC or Japan, driving just isn't an option, so everybody HAS to take public transportation. In the Bay Area, no matter how good BART is, you will always have a high percentage of people driving so it has a chance to be something other than a slow infrequent hot greasy tram ride from hell.

Although the stops for people working in the city are quite sensible. Most places in the financial district are no more than a half mile away from the Embarcadero stop..where parking can be as high as $30 a day.

You know, I used to work in the city near China Basin during Summers. When I started looking for a full time job, I didn't even bother looking at SF. Unless you're a high powered exec or want to sell your soul to corporate beaurocracy to claw your way to the top, you're better off finding a job in San Ramon or Walnut Creek or downtown Oakland.

 

[Baked]

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: herkulease
I doubt it.

Bart only sees increases when it was free for those spare the air days. ridership has been relatively stagnant for sometime.

extending it down to san jose as some people want won't relieve traffic problems. many of the suburbs have poor access to public transportation. I can't remember who published it but the bulk of san jose's doesn't live downtown where there's amtrak or was the caltrain(near the arena), numerous light rail lines and bus lines.

If ridership increases when it's free, don't you think it'll increase if it's cheaper?

The free ride program is retarded. If you read the news, all it did was benefit the tourists and raised the crime rate in the BART stations, attract gangster wannabe punks. People who drive to work will continue to drive to work.

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Big difference. In someplace like NYC or Japan, driving just isn't an option, so everybody HAS to take public transportation. In the Bay Area, no matter how good BART is, you will always have a high percentage of people driving so it has a chance to be something other than a slow infrequent hot greasy tram ride from hell.

So you're basically complaining that you have an option? You don't think New Yorkers would complain more because they don't have an option?

You know, I used to work in the city near China Basin during Summers. When I started looking for a full time job, I didn't even bother looking at SF. Unless you're a high powered exec or want to sell your soul to corporate beaurocracy to claw your way to the top, you're better off finding a job in San Ramon or Walnut Creek or downtown Oakland.

If you're wanting to compare the job opportunities offered in San Francisco to metropolitan areas like San Ramon and Walnut Creek (!)..then I don't know what to say to this..

Though I guess the McDonald's on Pine doesn't pay much more than one out in the far East Bay..

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: Baked
The free ride program is retarded. If you read the news, all it did was benefit the tourists and raised the crime rate in the BART stations, attract gangster wannabe punks. People who drive to work will continue to drive to work.

Yeah, free transportation sucks, what were they thinking?

 

[mjh]

I would be okay with a flat rate for BART.

 

[xospec1alk]

jeez, and people complain aboud $2 a ride for the MTA NYCT

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Syringer

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Big difference. In someplace like NYC or Japan, driving just isn't an option, so everybody HAS to take public transportation. In the Bay Area, no matter how good BART is, you will always have a high percentage of people driving so it has a chance to be something other than a slow infrequent hot greasy tram ride from hell.

So you're basically complaining that you have an option?

It's not an option is my complaint. It takes longer, doesn't get you close enough, is more unpleasant, and costs the same as driving sans parking......there is no option. It's cool for tourists or people going to the city to see a play or go shopping, but not for regular commuters.

You don't think New Yorkers would complain more because they don't have an option?

No I don't. When you're in the middle of nowhere and need to eat and stop at the only restaurant in 50 miles you're not going to complain about the bacon not being crispy enough. Now, if you're in the middle of the city, and you could have eaten at any of the dozens of places within a one block radius and the one you chose brought your pancakes out cold, you're going to wonder outloud to the management staff there why you chose the place you did over the others.

I'm sure guys drafted into the army complain a lot less than guys who volunteer too.

You know, I used to work in the city near China Basin during Summers. When I started looking for a full time job, I didn't even bother looking at SF. Unless you're a high powered exec or want to sell your soul to corporate beaurocracy to claw your way to the top, you're better off finding a job in San Ramon or Walnut Creek or downtown Oakland.

If you're wanting to compare the job opportunities offered in San Francisco to metropolitan areas like San Ramon and Walnut Creek (!)..then I don't know what to say to this..

Though I guess the McDonald's on Pine doesn't pay much more than one out in the far East Bay..

Let's see........you're the guy jizzing in his pants over saving $25 a month........and you're gonna crack McDonald's jokes? Okay.

 

[Jawo]

I loved how Rome's public transportation was a flat rate of 1 euro per 70 minutes of travel on any train or bus.

For the Metro in the Washington, DC area its up to $3.60 a ride for rush hour. Toss in $3.75 for parking and its like $12 a day for commuting! I wish they would get flat rates!

 

[Juice Box]

Damn. In chicago it's right around $3.95 per ride, but they sell way-reduced monthly passes for $99 which entails unlimited rides in that month...not a bad deal for commuters. (this is on Metra, btw)