[PRCo] Re: Transit Taxation/Tom Johnson

[Herb Brannon]

(NOTE: Not really PRCo related--delete if necessary)
   
  Yesterday (12/24) would have normally been a regular day off for me. Off days this pick are Sun/Mon. However, I worked a "Football Flyer" taking fans to see the Browns. The trip was from Brecksville Park and Ride to Lakefront Stadium and return. I had 24 people going and 20 returning. Had bus #1015, a 40' MCI interurban/over-the-road type. The fare is $2.50 per person both going and again returning. Thus, 44 x $2.50 = $110. This was my day off, therefore I got time and a half and the piece of work paid eight (8) hours. Thus 8 hours plus 4 hours (for the half-time) equals 12 hrs x 22.30 = $267.60. Also, don't forget the costs associated with moving the bus (fuel, depreciation, etc.) from the garage to the route and back to the garage again. If they had to depend on the farebox these days there would be no transit service at all. Back in Tom Johnson's day the farebox was all they relied upon. No transit tax back then. Wages and operations costs must have been really low
 then. They ran many more vehicles then than now and usually used a two-man crew per vehicle! Amazing!
Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net> wrote:
  You're telling me that taxation to pay for public transport was alive 
and well even then? I wonder what share of the the cost of the 
ride came out of the fare box. Certainly a lot more in 1901 than 
the 25% or so we consider normal today.

For those who want to read about Tom Johnson (1901-1909), the first 
URL is an Amazon.COM URL for a book on Johnson. The second URL is 
wikipedia's writeup on Johnson and his various transit escapades 
including the Johnson farebox.



http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Johnson-Times-Clevelands-Greatest/dp/ 
0965987116

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_L._Johnson


On Dec 25, 2006, at 11:16 AM, Herb Brannon wrote:

> Here's to a happy, safe, and peaceful holiday season.
>
> Herb Brannon
> Cleveland, Ohio
>
> Attached photo is Cleveland Public Square with turn-of-the- 
> century (19th to 20th) mayor Tom Johnson (ran as the "3-cent 
> trolley fare" candidate" and won) basking in the glow of this years 
> Christmas lights. Terminal Tower in background.
>
> Herb Brannon
>
>
> -- Attached file removed by Ecartis and put at URL below --
> -- Type: image/pjpeg
> -- Desc: 196581517-PublicSquare Christmas2006.jpg
> -- Size: 1699k (1739830 bytes)
> -- URL : http://lists.dementia.org/files/pittsburgh-railways/ 
> PublicSquare%20Christmas2006.jpg
>
>
>





Herb Brannon