[PRCo] Re: Rumors

[John Swindler]

>Fred Schneider replied:
>
>
>One might expect the California deficit to be in the billions for another 
>reason... they have 2.2 times more people than Pennsylvania.
>


It's more then just the 2.2 times more people.  California state government 
played 'give-away' more so then most states during the 1990s.  Also, I 
thought their pension system had invested heavily in World.com, amongst 
others.  And as with Pennsylvania, when government experts screw-up 
big-time, the taxpayers are still on the hook.


>I had an argumentative lady on a car at Arden several weeks ago who thought 
>the $5.00 museum admission to be outrageous.  She told me that PAT only 
>charged a dollar, ten for a ride.  Maybe she said a dollar fifty.  I 
>decided to have a little fun.  Told her that she had to be wrong, that 
>PAT's fare was over five dollars.  She said she rode it every day and she 
>knew how much it cost.  Then I asked if she considered the amount that she 
>pays every April 15th in her federal, state, and county taxes, and the 
>state lottery proceeds.  She admitted
she didn't.  I suggested that the average true fare, including taxes, is 
between $5 and $7 these days!


The average "real" fare can be determined by going to FTA reports and 
dividing expenses by passengers carried. (and even that is not real because 
it doesn't consider capital costs).

The New York City public is currently squaking about a possible 50 cent fare 
increase from $1.50 to $2.  Actually the fare increased years ago during 
past union contract negotiations.  The current debate is NOT really about 
the subway fare going to $2: it is over an allocation of the "real" fare 
between the transit users and the taxpayers.  Oh yea, I guess a similar 
babble occurred recently in Pittsburgh.


>Heaven forbid what we would be spending if everybody wanted to ride transit 
>... we couldn't afford the subsidy for all those people. When you are 
>charging 20 cents on the dollar and making it up on volume, there is no way 
>you can win!  Right John?  Ken?
>


There are some economies of scale.  However, you didn't pick up, Fred, on 
the hourly cost of operation for San Diego Trolley at around $97 per hour 
while Pittsburgh light rail is costing over $200 per hour.  That's primarily 
staffing levels, because hourly wage rates are not all that different.

John




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