Comments on: Inside MARTA’s Nerve Center

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:41:55 +0000

Large scale systems use a zone system of fares that makes the distance charges simpler to manage. I suppose it’s not so great if you live near one of the zone borders.

By: Brianc

Brianc — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 20:55:50 +0000

I’m starting to come around to the idea of distance-based fares on the rail. If the baseline fare is two dollars, then maybe the fare for the longest trips should go to five. Of course, I still want to see some state funding.

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:54:24 +0000

Unfortunately, our motoring infrastructure is not self-sustaining as many believe.

Motorist related fees and tax revenues only pay part of road maintenance and operations, not new construction.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:01:14 +0000

And let’s not forget traffic enforcement costs, particulate-related health care costs, lost productivity costs…

Oh, yeah. Those are externalities so they don’t count!

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:53:28 +0000

Actually, only about 60% of the expense of roads is paid by so-called “user fees” like gas tax, sales tax on gas, tolls, etc. The other 40% is paid for by everyone from general tax funds. No form of public transportation entirely pays its own way.

By: Skeptic

Skeptic — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:47:19 +0000

Aren’t roads, by and large, paid for from gasoline excise taxes? And if so are you not proposing a fee to penalize users of the roads that were paid for by the collection of fees and taxes on the users of the roadway previously?

Isn’t congestion enough of a “fee” or deterent in and of itself?

Regarding MARTA, I have not read the article so forgive me if this is covered, but is the $7.27 operating expenses per trip or does it include a pro-rata share of acrued debt? It would seem to me that this would make a big difference in the discussion.

By: Ridgelandistan

Ridgelandistan — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 18:20:22 +0000

Why narrow that question to MARTA?

It’s as if all the road and highway construction, employee parking subsidies and Hummer tax rebates were magically created by “the invisible hand” instead of our tax dollars.

A congestion charge works well to put the hidden costs of “free” driving back onto the users and not the “public sector”.

By: karass

karass — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 16:01:34 +0000

So who is going to pay the $5.00 per ride or $10/work day difference between current fares and what it really costs? Blue collar workers can’t afford an extra $10 per day and other workers won’t–they’ll drive and park all over downtown, midtown, Buckhead, the Perimeter, wherever they can, legally and illegally. Should employers? Should the private sector be responsible? Or should it be the public sector like in most cities?