PD Member Michael Jacob wrote the following LTE:
You can’t complain about things you don’t know are happening. You can’t offer alternatives if you aren’t given decent information about the problem.

These are just two of the many problems with Madison Metro’s latest drive to increase bus fares.

Metro is fond of saying “No one complains about the fare increases.” Sure, because riders don’t know they are coming until it is too late and even if they do they don’t know whom to contact or think doing so will do no good. Thursday morning I talked to more than 120 riders along Route 4 and at the South Transfer Point. Two riders – count them, two! – knew Metro had proposed a fare increase and none of them knew they could voice their opinions at a public hearing on July 26 before the Transit and Parking Commission or that they could call or e-mail the commission.

The TPC, struggling with whether to go along with Metro’s unfair fare proposal, has asked people against the fare increase for alternatives. Several suggestions have been offered: discuss Metro fares along with the rest of the city budget, so Metro service can be prioritized among everything else the city spends money on; rework the extraordinary deals Metro gives to the UW and other large employers (82.5 cents per ride vs. $1.50 for the base fare); further explore revenues from increased advertising and vending booths at the transfer points. Pressed for details by the TPC, those suggesting alternatives had to throw up their hands because Metro does not share the any details with how much it has explored these options nor how it came up with the unfair fare proposal that will go to the public.

The many people who want the TPC to reject this fare increase recognize that costs have gone up and Metro has a deficit. We recognize that Metro needs more money. But we reject the idea that saddling riders with $500,000 in fare increases, especially since fares just went up less than two years ago, is the only option. And research shows that every time you raise fares, you lose ridership equal to 40% of the money you get from the fare increase.

Send it back. Explore the alternatives. Come up with a fair fare proposal and then make sure riders and the public know about it!

Michael Jacob
410 Russell St
Madison, WI 53704
712-5475