Higher WMATA ridership offsets gas costs
WMATA interim general manager Dan Tangherlini says that although the agency's gas expenses have risen, higher income from fares has offset the increased costs. He doesn't expect a fare increase until 2008.
Also, the agency is considering adding retail to several stations. The agency has no plans to violate the delicate sectional balance: there would be kiosks in twelve stations: four for DC, four for Virginia, and four for Maryland. No sign that the agency would allow food purchased at the kiosks to be consumed on trains, though.
The ATMs installed in stations earlier are turning a tidy profit, with income expected to exceed $1 million this fiscal year.
Tangherlini also says he is considering removing the carpet from railcars. I recall an earlier meeting at which board member Chris Zimmerman said that the carpet/no carpet debate periodically resurfaces within the agency and that, surprisingly, it's not at all clear that uncarpeted surfaces are cheaper to maintain.
Also: Metro's director of elevator and escalator maintenance will have an online chat this Friday. And check out the winner of the Metro poster contest. These are always very good and worth checking out at Metro Center Station if you're in the area.
Post Author:
massysett | 9:14 AM |
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Metro’s parking operation is essentially scamming the public. I parked at the Shady Grove Metro station today with an advertised rate (on parking signs and on Metro’s website) of $4 per day. As I and other confused drivers tried to exit the lot, the parking attendant directed us back into the station to purchase a SmarTrip card for $10 minimum. Exact change was required to buy the card. When I used the SmarTrip card at the exit gate I was surprised to see that the balance remaining on my card was only $1. The parking attendant, who anticipated my confusion, said that I had just paid a fee of $5 for the privilege of owning this unwanted, rechargeable card and $4 for daily parking. This is “bait and switch” of the worst order and must adversely affect thousands of one-time visitors and tourists. This is akin to requiring MetroRail passengers to buy unwanted rechargeable fare cards for a fee of $5 on top of the regular fare to travel.
But the $5 is only a one time fee. It's to stop people from treating the card like trash (like they do in NYC) and tossing it on the ground when it is all used up.
Yes it hurts a one time tourist.
The cards cost Metro $3.75 to purchase. Metro also has costs associated with distributing the cards, so to charge $5 for the card is not unreasonable. It may screw the one time users, but as a regular user I'll take that cross subsidy and smile knowing I'm not subsidizing the purchase of Smartrip cards for one time use.
