Comments on: Subway ridership hits 59-year high http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/ A New York City Subway Blog Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:45:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: 2009: The year the money vanished :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-69088 2009: The year the money vanished :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:04:28 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-69088 [...] February, the MTA announced that ridership was at a 59-year high, but Bridge & Tunnel revenues were plummeting. The Tunnel Boring Machine began its work along [...] [...] February, the MTA announced that ridership was at a 59-year high, but Bridge & Tunnel revenues were plummeting. The Tunnel Boring Machine began its work along [...]

]]> By: 59 Days… - Seattle Transit Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-61117 59 Days… - Seattle Transit Blog Wed, 20 May 2009 22:42:31 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-61117 [...] And last year, ridership on New York’s subway system hit a 59-year high. [...] [...] And last year, ridership on New York’s subway system hit a 59-year high. [...]

]]> By: Subway Ridership Up, Then Down; “Bail Us Out?” Begs MTA | NYU Local http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-59249 Subway Ridership Up, Then Down; “Bail Us Out?” Begs MTA | NYU Local Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:32:23 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-59249 [...] carriers commuting from the other boroughs. On February 22, the MTA announced that ridership is at a 59-year peak. Two days later, it announced that no, we were mistaken—it is actually down. You know, [...] [...] carriers commuting from the other boroughs. On February 22, the MTA announced that ridership is at a 59-year peak. Two days later, it announced that no, we were mistaken—it is actually down. You know, [...]

]]> By: Cuts now inevitable as MTA deficit could reach $2B :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-58916 Cuts now inevitable as MTA deficit could reach $2B :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog Tue, 24 Feb 2009 06:36:19 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-58916 [...] how I long for the days of yesterday when the news was simply about near-record ridership figures. Today’s news is bad, very [...] [...] how I long for the days of yesterday when the news was simply about near-record ridership figures. Today’s news is bad, very [...]

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-58911 Alon Levy Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:17:44 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-58911 You can chalk up most of the difference to ridership levels. New York, Toronto, and Washington, which have relatively high transit usage, rank at the top. Montreal and Philadelphia are also quite high. Systems with few users, like Cleveland and Miami-Dade, rank near the bottom. The major difference isn't between New York and the rest of the US, but between New York and European cities with comparable transit usage, like Paris and Milan. The single-ride fare in Milan is €1.00, lower than the average fare in New York with a 30-day MetroCard. You can chalk up most of the difference to ridership levels. New York, Toronto, and Washington, which have relatively high transit usage, rank at the top. Montreal and Philadelphia are also quite high. Systems with few users, like Cleveland and Miami-Dade, rank near the bottom.

The major difference isn’t between New York and the rest of the US, but between New York and European cities with comparable transit usage, like Paris and Milan. The single-ride fare in Milan is €1.00, lower than the average fare in New York with a 30-day MetroCard.

]]> By: MTA Bridge & Tunnel toll revenues plummet :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-58909 MTA Bridge & Tunnel toll revenues plummet :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:41:06 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-58909 [...] « Subway ridership hits 59-year high Feb [...] [...] « Subway ridership hits 59-year high Feb [...]

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-58907 rhywun Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:23:53 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-58907 On the other hand, Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farebox_recovery_ratio" rel="nofollow">sez</a> the NYC subway has the highest farebox recovery ratio among all American heavy rail systems. The data's not very fresh but if we assume the relative ratios are fairly constant, is it "fair" to make New Yorkers pay even more? Of course, we're going to pay one way or another, so the fare seems almost irrelevant. On the other hand, Wikipedia sez the NYC subway has the highest farebox recovery ratio among all American heavy rail systems. The data’s not very fresh but if we assume the relative ratios are fairly constant, is it “fair” to make New Yorkers pay even more? Of course, we’re going to pay one way or another, so the fare seems almost irrelevant.

]]> By: Benjamin Kabak http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-58900 Benjamin Kabak Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:21:25 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-58900 Correct. The MTA points that out in one of their Subtalk Ads right now. The average fares are lower than the real fare was when tokens were a $1.50 a whole bunch of years ago. The reality is though that to make the MTA profitable on fare box revenue alone, the fares would basically have to double from where they are now with discounts slashed. It's not a practical way to run a public transit system if the goal is to get as many people as possible into the subways. Cap'n Transit recently wrote a few good posts about this — <a href="http://capntransit.blogspot.com/2009/02/goals-of-transit-funding-and-its.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> on transit funding and its goals and <a href="http://capntransit.blogspot.com/2009/02/more-on-profits-and-subsidies.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://capntransit.blogspot.com/2009/02/unpacking-transit-funding-dilemma.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> on profitability. I highly recommend those. Correct. The MTA points that out in one of their Subtalk Ads right now. The average fares are lower than the real fare was when tokens were a $1.50 a whole bunch of years ago.

The reality is though that to make the MTA profitable on fare box revenue alone, the fares would basically have to double from where they are now with discounts slashed. It’s not a practical way to run a public transit system if the goal is to get as many people as possible into the subways.

Cap’n Transit recently wrote a few good posts about this — here on transit funding and its goals and here and here on profitability. I highly recommend those.

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2009/02/23/subway-ridership-hits-59-year-high/#comment-58899 rhywun Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:15:14 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=2306#comment-58899 Seems like fares are a lot lower now than they were before MetroCard and free transfers. Seems like fares are a lot lower now than they were before MetroCard and free transfers.

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