[PRCo] Re: Rumors

[Jim Holland]

Good Morning!

	I don't keep up with the politics of a system and the finances but
remember an issue from the 1980s where transit is supposed to generate
1/3 of its needs from the farebox.    Whether this was Federal, State,
Local, combination I do not remember.    But like anything and
everything else, laws / rules are passed, talked about quite seriously,
and then disappear into the sunset.

	Yes   ---   CA State deficit is horrendous, but then the CA-State
Economy ranks within the top 10-World-Wide economies, I believe.    That
could be changing very fast for a downhill ride!~:)

	When I was videotaping the VTA system, which simulated operations for
several months before beginning actual revenue operations, I was dodging
huge tumbleweeds, 2-3--feet in diameter.    I wondered where the
passengers were going to come from and go to!

	Ridership figures were low for a while but eventually became quite
substantial.    There  ARE  those who say that if the service is there
the people will follow, and maybe That is the Philosophy that VTA
followed.    But we can now see an hole in that Philosophy!

	I had mentioned Beefalo here long time ago    ----    used as an
example of bad planning in a Salt Lake City editorial write up against
lrt.    No ONe seemed to have any more information.

> John Swindler wrote:

> Try these numbers from Federal Transit Administration Section 15 reporting
> for FY 2000:  Cost to put a light rail vehicle on the street for one hour
> (eliminates mileage variable; and uses hourly ratio becuase primary cost
> (driver's wages) is paid by hour, not by mile)

> Kenosha             $68
> Memphis              61
> San Diego Trolley   $97
> Salt Lake City       97
> Denver              103
> SEPTA               129

> - Jacksonville, Fl. automated people mover:   $134

> Sacramento         $177
> Buffalo             196
> SF Municipal Ry     195
> St. Louis           193

> San Jose           $233
> Pittsburgh          222 (bus $81)
> Boston              267

> Los Angeles        $313

> I'll let you draw your own conclusions of heritage operations vs. light rail
> (with the potential for a lot of hidden labor costs) and the competition in
> Jacksonville.

> In San Jose case, VTA system gets $121.9 million per year from local taxes,
> $79.6 million from state, and only $34.1 million from fares.  Passengers pay
> less then 20% or the real fare - taxes pick up the rest.  I think Jim H.
> might be able to provide some details, but from this distance, I have the
> impression that California state finances are a disaster, with the deficit
> in the billions.  (Pennsylvania's deficit is measured in the hundred's of
> millions)

> On the expense side, total salaries exceeds $173 million.  Perhaps VTA has
> poor load factors and is finally being forced to face reality.

> WMATA has just issued an information page which notes that due to budget
> problems, fares are going up; parking lot charges are increasing; and there
> will be service reductions and reduced staffing.  New York City is talking
> of a 50 cent increase to $2 fare.

> John

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James B. Holland

Holland  Electric  Railway  Operation....... 
___"O"--Scale St.-Petersburg Trams Company Trolleycars and...
______"O"--Scale  Parts  mailto:pghpcc at pacbell.net

______Pennsylvania Trolley Museum http://www.pa-trolley.org/
___Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
N.M.R.A.  Life member #2190; http://www.nmra.org

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