Comments on: After 100 days, a plan for ‘Making Every Dollar Count’ http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/ A New York City Subway Blog Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:16:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Moving forward while making every dollar count :: Second Ave. Sagas http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-175576 Moving forward while making every dollar count :: Second Ave. Sagas Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:16:52 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-175576 [...] then in December, the agency jacked up fares for the third year in a row. Still, spurred on by an early January promise, Jay Walder did his best to make every dollar count, and he’s doing it again this year even [...] [...] then in December, the agency jacked up fares for the third year in a row. Still, spurred on by an early January promise, Jay Walder did his best to make every dollar count, and he’s doing it again this year even [...]

]]> By: Streetsblog New York City » New York Transportation Officials: We’re Broke http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-98663 Streetsblog New York City » New York Transportation Officials: We’re Broke Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:39:54 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-98663 [...] that’s more money we can use for capital,” he explained. The MTA’s goal is to reduce its operating budget by $750 million per year, he said, and the agency is well on its way to achieving it. But those [...] [...] that’s more money we can use for capital,” he explained. The MTA’s goal is to reduce its operating budget by $750 million per year, he said, and the agency is well on its way to achieving it. But those [...]

]]> By: For Walder, labor costs an 800-pound gorilla in the room :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70196 For Walder, labor costs an 800-pound gorilla in the room :: Second Ave. Sagas | A New York City Subway Blog Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:32:59 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70196 [...] MTA CEO and Chairman Jay Walder pledged last Friday to reform the way the MTA does business, he stressed the redundancies inherent in the way the transit organization is set up. There are, he [...] [...] MTA CEO and Chairman Jay Walder pledged last Friday to reform the way the MTA does business, he stressed the redundancies inherent in the way the transit organization is set up. There are, he [...]

]]> By: Today’s Headlines | NYC No Fee Apartment Rentals http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70100 Today’s Headlines | NYC No Fee Apartment Rentals Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:45:50 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70100 [...] More About Jay Walder’s Plan to ‘Make Every Dollar Count’ at the MTA (NY1, News, 2nd Ave Sagas) [...] [...] More About Jay Walder’s Plan to ‘Make Every Dollar Count’ at the MTA (NY1, News, 2nd Ave Sagas) [...]

]]> By: Streetsblog New York City » Today’s Headlines http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70099 Streetsblog New York City » Today’s Headlines Tue, 19 Jan 2010 13:27:41 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70099 [...] More About Jay Walder's Plan to 'Make Every Dollar Count' at the MTA (NY1, News, 2nd Ave Sagas) [...] [...] More About Jay Walder's Plan to 'Make Every Dollar Count' at the MTA (NY1, News, 2nd Ave Sagas) [...]

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70077 Alon Levy Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:58:16 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70077 Ideally, the implementation would involve having a large number of inspectors at first (e.g. redistributed train conductors), ratcheting down as time goes on and people get used to buying unlimited ride tickets (e.g. retirements without new hires, plus increases in ridership reducing the number of inspectors to pay per rider). Ideally, the implementation would involve having a large number of inspectors at first (e.g. redistributed train conductors), ratcheting down as time goes on and people get used to buying unlimited ride tickets (e.g. retirements without new hires, plus increases in ridership reducing the number of inspectors to pay per rider).

]]> By: rhywun http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70031 rhywun Mon, 18 Jan 2010 03:39:53 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70031 I have always been a big fan of POP, having lived in Germany and experienced it for myself. However, even I have to admit that it probably wouldn't be nearly as successful in NYC if only for cultural reasons. Not to put too fine a point on it, I think Germans are generally more likely to obey these sorts of regulations than Americans, and especially New Yorkers. That said, it COULD work if the fines were high enough--and if the system isn't set up to be easy to beat like traffic violations are. Totally agree on the point that the unlimited card should have a good bonus. The current bonus is pretty paltry. So paltry that in months when I have a vacation, I'm actually losing money. I have always been a big fan of POP, having lived in Germany and experienced it for myself. However, even I have to admit that it probably wouldn’t be nearly as successful in NYC if only for cultural reasons. Not to put too fine a point on it, I think Germans are generally more likely to obey these sorts of regulations than Americans, and especially New Yorkers. That said, it COULD work if the fines were high enough–and if the system isn’t set up to be easy to beat like traffic violations are.

Totally agree on the point that the unlimited card should have a good bonus. The current bonus is pretty paltry. So paltry that in months when I have a vacation, I’m actually losing money.

]]> By: Andrew http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70010 Andrew Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:15:56 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70010 Proof of payment is only a failure according to those who think the goal is for guaranteed inspection on each ride. That's not the goal - the goal is for the risk of being inspected, and the fine for not having a valid ticket, to be great enough to encourage nearly all riders to pay the fare. The homeless would no longer be able to live in the subway under a POP system. That would be another benefit. Even systems with turnstiles have occasional ticket checks - perhaps that's something we should adopt here. Proof of payment is only a failure according to those who think the goal is for guaranteed inspection on each ride. That’s not the goal – the goal is for the risk of being inspected, and the fine for not having a valid ticket, to be great enough to encourage nearly all riders to pay the fare.

The homeless would no longer be able to live in the subway under a POP system. That would be another benefit. Even systems with turnstiles have occasional ticket checks – perhaps that’s something we should adopt here.

]]> By: Andrew http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-70009 Andrew Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:11:57 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-70009 If the customer has choices, it's more than a matter of perception. If you want the express, but you see that the next express is 10 minutes away, and the local is pulling in, you'll take the local. Not only will that get you to your destination sooner, but it will reduce the overcrowding (and further delays) on that delayed express. Similarly, if the local is delayed and you're going to a local stop, you might opt to take the express and walk or take a bus from the nearest express stop. If the customer has choices, it’s more than a matter of perception. If you want the express, but you see that the next express is 10 minutes away, and the local is pulling in, you’ll take the local. Not only will that get you to your destination sooner, but it will reduce the overcrowding (and further delays) on that delayed express. Similarly, if the local is delayed and you’re going to a local stop, you might opt to take the express and walk or take a bus from the nearest express stop.

]]> By: Alon Levy http://secondavenuesagas.com/2010/01/15/after-100-days-a-plan-for-making-every-dollar-count/#comment-69994 Alon Levy Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:19:46 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/?p=4806#comment-69994 On the subway, proof of payment doesn't make sense, because the passenger volumes are high enough that the cost of turnstiles and station agents is lower than the cost of fare inspectors. On buses and commuter rail, turnstiles are used when ridership is very high as well, as in the cases of Tokyo's rail and Curitiba's BRT. Why do fare inspectors need to be armed to confront a fare dodger? Train conductors and bus drivers aren't armed. And why do they need to be officers? The fine isn't really a fine for a crime, so much as a charge for getting a ticket on board. And the SBS proof of payment system does not fully use the benefits of the idea. It does not let people with unlimited cards board without prepayment, which would both speed up boarding at crowded times and reduce the incentive to cheat. In addition, the unlimited monthly bonus may not be high enough to be such an incentive - it costs 46 times as much as a pay-per-ride with the bonus, which means that for people who commute twice a weekday, it's a wash. On the subway, proof of payment doesn’t make sense, because the passenger volumes are high enough that the cost of turnstiles and station agents is lower than the cost of fare inspectors. On buses and commuter rail, turnstiles are used when ridership is very high as well, as in the cases of Tokyo’s rail and Curitiba’s BRT.

Why do fare inspectors need to be armed to confront a fare dodger? Train conductors and bus drivers aren’t armed. And why do they need to be officers? The fine isn’t really a fine for a crime, so much as a charge for getting a ticket on board.

And the SBS proof of payment system does not fully use the benefits of the idea. It does not let people with unlimited cards board without prepayment, which would both speed up boarding at crowded times and reduce the incentive to cheat. In addition, the unlimited monthly bonus may not be high enough to be such an incentive – it costs 46 times as much as a pay-per-ride with the bonus, which means that for people who commute twice a weekday, it’s a wash.

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