Quote:
Originally Posted by CRS
Why are we still using zones when we have faregates installed and are set to go online?
*Edit:
Just read they will be operational in the fall of 2013.
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Because they're not online yet, and because it's going to take at least a year of use for Translink to get the appropriate data to figure out how much to charge and in what manner.
Are they going to charge a 'get on the bus/into the station' fee + stops? What if I take the #9 down Broadway instead of the 99--the 9 makes a million more stops than the 99, so does that mean it'll be more expensive? Or are they going to charge differently for express busses? From my place, I have three choices to get to metrotown:
>129 metrotown
>130 metrotown
>millenium line from Holdom to Metro
Will those three be charged equally as they are now? Or are they going to start charging distance, so people will take less-convenient busses that travel shorter routes? Will they charge more or less for the skytrain?
Until Translink has enough trip data to make sure they can
A) Adequately decide how to charge for routes
B) Ensure that they are treating people "fairly" (whatever that means)
C) Make sure that they don't lose money when they change the rates
C2) Make sure that they don't gouge people who need the system so that it's unaffordable and needs more subsidies.
When it comes down to it, Transit is not something that goes away. It's not something that will just magically become solved. If transit becomes too expensive for the people at the bottom who need it, they'll stop taking it and it'll start losing more money, requiring more subsidies. It's kind of a question of equilibrium, not even of turning a profit--more about ensuring a minimum of losses.