|
Deadline HAS BEEN EXTENDED for this survey: 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 21.
Some of you have already taken the Budget Survey FY2013 so what I have to say you’ve already seen. For others- this is my fair warning.
If a college freshman had handed this survey in as part of an assignment they would’ve failed. The language is loaded, the choices tortured, and I’m pretty sure that the instrument itself is not 508 compliant (since you need javascript turned on in order to rank lists of items for the first few questions).
| Rail - Peak |
|
Choice A |
Choice B |
Choice C |
|
current |
|
|
| Boarding charge |
$1.950 |
$2.100 |
$2.100 |
| Composite miles between 3 and 6 miles |
$0.299 |
$0.316 |
$0.316 |
| Composite miles over 6 miles |
$0.265 |
$0.280 |
$0.280 |
| Maximum peak fare |
$5.00 |
$5.75 |
$6.00 |
| Charge for senior/disabled(one-half peak fare) |
$0.95 – $2.50 |
$1.05 – $2.85 |
$1.05 – $3.00 |
| Peak-of-the-peak surcharge |
$0.20 |
eliminate |
eliminate |
Ok. So you don’t like peak-of-the-peak? Fine, you don”t have to look at it any more.
The fare increases under consideration for Peak times completely eliminate the peak-of-the peak.
Quite frankly Mr/Ms Able Bodied, we need your help.
The fare increase is coming – a double helping to the disabled and elderly who use the Metro Access van service.
Last February a new way of determining fares was put into place. This new way of determining how much it costs raised the average fare for the service 50%! One quarter of all fares charged are now DOUBLE. Our lowest fare is twice the cost of riding the bus.
The most vulnerable are required to pay twice the bus and rail fare.
Fare increases are coming and part of that process are public hearings. The public hearings are focused around a list of proposed changes called a docket. WMATA‘s Board decides what goes on that docket.
When the Board was deciding the items to put on the docket for the fare increase, I took a day off from work to put in my 2 cents worth during the public comment period of the meeting. My comments can be heard here (during the first 3 minutes of the recording) .
In March 2011 Metro Access fares went from a flat fare to a calculated fare (twice times the fastest bus/rail fares that will get you to your destination).
At a given time: start at point A, go to point B, multiply times 2
Sounds simple, right?
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Anyone who has used WMATA‘s Trip Finder knows that you can get some wacky “quickest” trips depending on the leaving/arrival times you choose.
Instead of a bus that goes directly to your destination, the Trip Finder will put you on a bus, a train and two more buses. Change the time by 10 minutes and you will get the direct bus.
|
|
|
Why Should I Give A Damn?
Quite frankly Mr/Ms Able Bodied, we need your help.
The fare increase is coming – a double helping to the disabled and elderly who use the Metro Access van service.
Last February a new way of determining fares was put into place. This new way of determining how much it costs raised the average fare for the service 50%! One quarter of all fares charged are now DOUBLE. Our lowest fare is twice the cost of riding the bus.
The most vulnerable are required to pay twice the bus and rail fare.