MBTA Fare Practices
Like many Bostonians I ride the T around Boston. It's easy, cheap, and I don't have to find a place to park. I also use the commuter rail. The commuter rail runs from Boston all the way to Worcester, which is where my folks live. There are several advantages to taking the commuter rail to my folks house, such as, not having to drive, resting while travling, and it's cheap.
"It's cheap" seems to be a common theme. Recetly the MBTA raised the fare for both the T and for the commuter rail, sort of defeating the "it's cheap" logic. The MBTA has a deficet, and thusly had to raise fares to compensate. The MBTA claims that ridership is declining. There are two, yup only two, reasons for this. Drum roll please.......................................Fares have gone up and service sucks!
I have perviously spouted off on service, so I'll stick to the fares. I'm not an economics major, but I do know that in order to make money, one would have to collect fares!
I know what you must be thinking, "What do you mean one has to collect fares, doesn't the MBTA collect fares?" Well, this past weekend my wife and I went from Boston to Worcester via the commuter rail. This trip used to cost us $12.00. Due to the new fares it now costs us $15.50. We bought our tickets at South Station. Many riders pay for there fare on the train. Usualy by the second or third stop the conducter has collect my fare. One this particular ride the conducter walked through our car on the train several times and did not collect our fare. Not only did he not collect our fare, but he did not collect the fare of anyone in our car.
Now, many riders may think that not paying the fare would be a great little freebe. I don't. The reason I don't is because, I understand that if the MBTA collected their fares, I would only be paying $1.25, and not $2.00 to ride the T, and $12.00, and not $15.50 to ride the commuter rail.
I have sent a letter to the MBTA explaining the economics of running a business. Hopfuly I get a response so that I can post it here for all to see.
"It's cheap" seems to be a common theme. Recetly the MBTA raised the fare for both the T and for the commuter rail, sort of defeating the "it's cheap" logic. The MBTA has a deficet, and thusly had to raise fares to compensate. The MBTA claims that ridership is declining. There are two, yup only two, reasons for this. Drum roll please.......................................Fares have gone up and service sucks!
I have perviously spouted off on service, so I'll stick to the fares. I'm not an economics major, but I do know that in order to make money, one would have to collect fares!
I know what you must be thinking, "What do you mean one has to collect fares, doesn't the MBTA collect fares?" Well, this past weekend my wife and I went from Boston to Worcester via the commuter rail. This trip used to cost us $12.00. Due to the new fares it now costs us $15.50. We bought our tickets at South Station. Many riders pay for there fare on the train. Usualy by the second or third stop the conducter has collect my fare. One this particular ride the conducter walked through our car on the train several times and did not collect our fare. Not only did he not collect our fare, but he did not collect the fare of anyone in our car.
Now, many riders may think that not paying the fare would be a great little freebe. I don't. The reason I don't is because, I understand that if the MBTA collected their fares, I would only be paying $1.25, and not $2.00 to ride the T, and $12.00, and not $15.50 to ride the commuter rail.
I have sent a letter to the MBTA explaining the economics of running a business. Hopfuly I get a response so that I can post it here for all to see.
posted by bluesmanjay at 12:05 PM
1 Comments:
dude i picked you up that day and you where reved up about it...i'll be honest i would probably think of it as a nice freebee myself but your right...if they collected the fares the fares would be less
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