[PRCo] Re: Transit Taxation/Tom Johnson

[John Swindler]

Tom Johnson was the mayor.  He didn't have to make a profit on a three cent 
fare.  All he had to do was tell the voters a sufficiently good fairy tale 
to insure his re-election.  "I'm fighting for cheap fares for you" 
apparently worked at that time - in a lot of cities.   And the times haven't 
changed, just the story line, but probably best not to go there.

As for Herb's special service run, as far as the RTA is concerned, the bus 
is a freebie.  There is no depreciation.  Federal/State/Local grants from 
taxpayers paid for the vehicles.  Today the profit motive is in making the 
local public officials look good.  There is no profit in trying to deny 
anyone their free lunch.  Just look at the song and dance occuring in 
Pittsburgh and Philly over transit financing.  (just to bring theme back to 
Pittsburgh)

Before I get into more trouble - John



>From: Fred Schneider <fwschneider at comcast.net>
>Reply-To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
>Subject: [PRCo] Re: Transit Taxation/Tom Johnson
>Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2006 17:22:15 -0500
>
>But we had one standard then, Herb.   You made money.   You made it
>off a 3 cent fare.   You made it hauling funerals.   You made it with
>any charter.
>
>Today there is a distinction.   You loose it with the regular fare
>paying rider but at least you try to make it on a charter.
>Hopefully, if you have a railfan charter, you charge enough to pay
>the fare, the special trip insurance, and the operator's wages.   So
>you should be collecting somewhere around $7.00 per passenger per
>hour.....
>
>On Dec 25, 2006, at 5:12 PM, Herb Brannon wrote:
>
> > (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
> >
> >
>
>

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