Comments on: L.A. finally gets around to that whole turnstile thing

By: Fallopia Simms

Fallopia Simms — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:22:28 +0000

The ridership # 163,000 or so is for the Red Line only and most likely the stub Purple Line it does not include Blue, Green nor Gold, the other 3 rail lines. And as a nascent rail system (5 HRT and LRT lines in 20 years) the bulk of the ridership is on the extensive bus system with its plethora of interagencies. The bus system marks down roughly 2 million trips per day, higher ridership than Chicago and SF and only second to NYC. It’s far too early to tell what development pattern the city will mature into it’s just all too new and seemingly everchanging. And now that it has undertaken a major transit expansion along with the coming HSR who knows what the future will hold.

By: Tom Rubin

Tom Rubin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:58:56 +0000

Even by LA MTA standards, this is a really stupid decision.
First, the annual loses are NOT $5 million, not even half that. MTA staff did that calculation on the full adult cash fare, but the average fare per trip, with the heavy use of passes and other discount fares, is less than half the adult cash fare.
As “Rhywun” points out, if you have fare gates, you need station attendants — which, of course, MTA did not consider. It takes about four full-time employees to have one person at each station when the system is open — and many of the MTA stations are “double-ended” and will require two attendants on duty.
Read Richard Stanger’s outstanding analysis if you want to know what is really going on.

By: Alon Levy

Alon Levy — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:43:26 +0000

The honor system doesn’t work outside Switzerland. But proof-of-payment works very well, especially on buses. Bus service will become much faster if NYCT switches to a proof-of-payment system, allowing people to swipe after the bus starts moving; people with unlimited cards wouldn’t have to swipe at all, unless an inspector comes, in which case they should be able to produce proof their card is valid.

By: Spokker

Spokker — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 21:21:36 +0000

It won’t pay for itself in 9 years. There are monthly maintenance costs. There are costs associated with the new fare media. There will still be some fare evasion by those who jump the turnstiles. There still has to be some fare inspectors because not all light rail stations are being outfitted with fare gates.

Also, the $5 million figure is incorrect. Metro erroneously used the base fare of $1.25 to determine fare evasion. They should have used the average fare of 60 cents instead.

By: Randall BusTard

Randall BusTard — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:39:04 +0000

The LACMTA faregate-gate is an on-going debacle, to be sure.

For starters, there are rumours that the gates are not working and my not be installed in other than the four Red Line stations at which they are being presently beta-tested. More will be known when in September the findings of the beta-testing are reported by Metro CEO Art Leahy to the Metro Board.
Also, the annual $5 million fare-evasion figure has been proven a VERY liberal estimate by none other than former Metrolink CEO Richard Stanger. Here is a copy of that letter (scroll down to the first comment). Unfortunately, Los Angeles Times has accepted Metro’s insistence on such figures as fact, and have made that figure gospel. Keep in mind that the same people who wrote “faregates prevent terrorism” offered the $5 million figure.

By: Streetsblog Los Angeles » Another Turnstile Post

Streetsblog Los Angeles » Another Turnstile Post — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:16:02 +0000

[...] If you need to read more about the fare gates, the New York transit blog Second Avenue Sagas reviewed yesterday's article in the Times. While their write-up doesn't go into any of the [...]

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:23:43 +0000

Probably the same genius who observed the seemingly limitless well of cash for counter-terrorism related infrastructure projects. If only NYC Transit could link building the Second Ave Subway to counter-terrorism.

By: Scott E

Scott E — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:14:40 +0000

The closest link between turnstiles and terrorism-prevention is that you can get a better idea of who is going where (especially if they also use swipe-to-exit turnstiles) and can track the behavior of “suspicious individuals”.

By: anonymouse

anonymouse — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 04:46:38 +0000

Well, there’s funding available for Homeland Security. They might as well take it.

By: herenthere

herenthere — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:28:40 +0000

Hmm…faregates prevent terrorism…wonder what genius thought of that line.