Tags:
Figure in parking, tolls, gas, and the time in traffic, the only way to go is the train.
Not having a entire train car for bikers that use the train gets me going. In other parts of the country, the whole car is dedicated for storing bikes. Glad they have moved somewhat forward in their thinking a few years ago with letting you bring your full sized bike on board. They have a way to go still for making alot of people with bikes happier. I have been riding the train for 20 plus years and have found that it beats driving to the city any day. The drivers are nuts and seem to not ever do the speed limit or pay attention to what is going around. The majority of the people I see on the train as Duppie mentioned are from the suburbs. Most are well dressed, on computers or cell phones or Blackberrys, reading newspapers slamming coffee. It gets very full by Evanston. Me being from Kenosha, having both the honor and regret of both first (inbound) and last stop (out bound) on the route see this every day.
For the most part a fare increase is necessary to maintain the upkeep of the trains from the constant beating that the trains get every day. Hope they would budget more money for more cars on the train to help get rid of the overcrowding issue. I see the fare increase as a necessary cost of doing business and working in Chicago. $7 dollars for the weekend fair is not too bad if you can figure that you are paying only $1.75 for a ride to Chicago or Kenosha. $3.50 a day is a steal! The worst cost for Metra is the fuel bill after employees. They get the same issues with fuel like the airlines do. They have people that speculate on diesel futures. 1300 gallons a engine takes on when empty. I can not imgaine what it must cost a day for refueling and upkeep of the fleet. Figure in parking, tolls, gas, and the time in traffic, the only way to go is the train.
I didn't mean that Metra preys on the poor, or anyone else for that matter, but that it seems that that's who always get shafted, the poor and infrequent riders/users. You know, the people who don't have the cash in hand for a 10 ride or monthly pass deals, or people who needed to get home who otherwise wouldn't use the service.
16% percent is huge for two years IMO, and doesn't account for the 2002 and 2006 fare increases(Which I don't have the numbers on). Some folks don't even get that much in their yearly increases at work. If they get a yearly increase.
Duppie said:I agree that 16% in two years sounds like a lot, but in the big picture it is still pretty cheap. It's reliable, clean, and frequent (in rush hour), and unlike CTA, I always get a seat
I wouldn't agree with your statement that Metra preys on the poor. The majority of Metra's ridership consists of suburban professionals commuting to work.
I hope free subsidized transit someday becomes available for all, as a step toward combating Global Warming, the US's massive balance-of-trade deficit, the destruction of our urban neighborhoods, and the country's increasing class segregation and sprawl.
Bump.. Reminder, fare increases take effect tomorrow..
Also, they are cutting the Pace route(690)that runs by my house completely, and cutting routes that get kids, mothers and fathers to school @ Harper in Palatine.
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=355294
270 members
1 member
261 members
203 members
118 members