Fourth of July fireworks
2008 Cityfolk Festival
Spotted at the Cityfolk Festival
COMMENTARY
Other voices: RTA's proposed fare increase discourages riders even more
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The bus accumulated passengers as the snow fell. Fumbling new riders shuffled for change, trying to ask the driver questions over the electric motor's whir. They stumbled to their seats, melting flakes dripping on the floor.
Their cars, like mine, were at home. That day, their cars were inconvenient.
Extras
That snowy day's increase in passengers was no coincidence — and it is why all the proposed rate changes by the RTA are wrong.
Buses provide many benefits to lower-income workers. If you cannot afford a car, they, in fact, are your lifeline. Having reliable and convenient transportation allows those who want to work to get where the jobs are. However, few routes travel in a straight line between low-income communities and the job-rich areas of Montgomery County.
The RTA's proposed rate changes — cash fares would go from $1.25 to $1.50 per ride — are going to hurt the people who need public transportation the most. And the new 25-cent charge for a transfer is yet another reason not to take the bus — if you have a choice.
These changes do not just concern low-income families. Buses are the ultimate carpool. Thus, they reduce pollution and traffic for all of us. In addition, when people can get to their jobs easily, that helps attract more businesses.
I currently take the bus to work. There are no confusing transfers between my house and work. In all, using public transportation adds only 10 minutes to my commute.
My wife, on the other hand, doesn't ride the bus, though her place of work is only a few miles from mine. To get to her job would require at least one transfer and a significant wait outside. Several of my co-workers hate their parking difficulties — but still drive for the same reason.
Simply put, the cost in convenience to ride the bus is greater than the problems they face driving. For many, the dollar cost of riding the bus is not the main issue — but the inconvenience of having to make transfers is. Adding a new charge for transfers will make that inconvenience all the greater.
When gasoline prices went to $3 a gallon, I saw a brief surge in the number of people riding my bus. For a while, the rising cost of fuel was enough to overcome that convenience cost — and increase ridership. The recent snowfall had the same effect.
Nobody expects gasoline prices to fall significantly. That fact provides an opportunity for all public transit systems to gain new riders and keep them. Increasing prices and making public transportation more inconvenient may solve a short-run budget problem, but it will sacrifice an opportunity for long-run growth.
My family rode the bus downtown for the Grande Illumination. That ride was a good experience. The driver was kind and professional, and we were glad to avoid the cost and hassle of paying to park. After the tree was lit, we walked to the bus stop to ride home. There we waited 35 minutes in the cold night wind. We did not know when the next bus would come by; our 10-year-old son was shivering by the broken Plexiglas of the bus shelter.
Two days later, we attended the Children's Parade downtown. That time, we drove.
Steven Saus lives in Dayton. E-mail him at steven.saus@gmail.com.
