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Mr5t1k t1_iu3u49i wrote

If they made fare gates you couldn’t jump or simply slide past, then they wouldn’t have to be raising the rates. Those who pay shouldn’t subsidize jumpers and skippers. Make it totally free already, because clearly paying is optional.

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EC_dwtn t1_iu42mvr wrote

They are facing a $168 million dollar deficit--Most of that is not from lost fares.

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LeoMarius t1_iu48hvc wrote

Raising fares isn’t going to fix that, especially with lax fare enforcement.

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EC_dwtn t1_iu4hz7l wrote

I didn't say it would. I was responding to someone who said that fare raises wouldn't be on the table if everyone paid, which is likely not true.

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LeoMarius t1_iu4j9cs wrote

As long as they make fare jumping the norm, fares could be $100 a ride and it wouldn't' raise money for them. It would just make fare jumping more common.

It might get to the point where the ADA protests that the gates only make handicapped people pay.

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Mecha_Jesus_03 t1_iu4bsc0 wrote

Bro with the amount of people jumping the turnstiles I think it is a significant portion

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EC_dwtn t1_iu4hsjc wrote

They estimate they lost about $10 million in lost revenue during the first half of the year. It's a lot of money but many/most people jumping are kids who don't pay anyway.

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Mecha_Jesus_03 t1_iu4j7zu wrote

I don’t know, but I would think that the kids rides are reimbursed to WMATA by the government no? Also, their estimates are definitely conservative. Q1 2022 revenue was 50 million dollars, if 15% of people jump turnstiles (probably conservative lol) thats 35 mil per year

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SchokoKipferl t1_iu4i09s wrote

A lot of them are teenagers who ride free anyways (Kids Ride Free Program). They're supposed to tap their card but many of them don't bother with it.

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brodies t1_iu4ue14 wrote

Technicality: it’s free to the kids, but Metro still gets paid. Kids Ride Free is a subsidy provided by the DC government—DC covers their fare. When the kids and teens don’t use their card, Metro isn’t getting money.

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LoganSquire t1_iu51yfo wrote

Seems like it would be a lot easier for DC to just increase their payment to Metro based on the estimates ridership.

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brodies t1_iu55hie wrote

My understanding is they can’t actually do that due to the structure of the compact between DC, VA, MD, and the Feds that created WMATA. If I understand it correctly, each jurisdiction’s funding is set by a formula, and they can’t unilaterally give more. As I understand it, that’s part of the rationale behind things like DC trying to give residents $100 in metro money: it’s a way to indirectly fund metro without violating the funding rules. That said, I’m repeating what I’ve read and been told by others; I haven’t actually read the compact to confirm this limitation is in it.

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NorseTikiBar t1_iu4iehn wrote

"Bro" it amounts to something like 1% of their operating budget.

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MrJosephBeef t1_iu40lr9 wrote

I know from a fairness perspective this is a problem but with fares being optional seems like metro use is just means-tested. I don’t mind a means-tested pay to use system. If fares are such that it significantly reduces ridership then that would be a problem.

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blind__panic t1_iu42psi wrote

I know a guy who earns 120k a year and skips the metro gate. If it’s gonna be means tested it can’t be an honesty system.

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MrJosephBeef t1_iu42us6 wrote

Damn some people lol. Yeah I guess an imperfect means test on susceptibility to social shame.

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Brainjacker t1_iu45icj wrote

Nah. MPD doesn't care, service is trash, and raising the rates to airfare levels won't make a dent in the deficit based on ridership. It's not on the few (who will pay) to subsidize the many (who won't).

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blind__panic t1_iu46okn wrote

To be fair, i take the metro a lot and it’s not the majority who skip the gates. It’s mainly kids and homeless people.

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Worldcitizen1905 t1_iu84v6d wrote

The kids are the ones doing half the crime.. pushing people off busses

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blind__panic t1_iu8vwoq wrote

If you think “pushing people off busses” is half the crime in D.C., you spend too much time on Reddit.

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Worldcitizen1905 t1_iu84tk7 wrote

Why should he pay if others are skipping fare to sell crack in the metro?

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LeoMarius t1_iu48lm8 wrote

Means testing is itself an expensive and burdensome process.

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resdivinae t1_iu6ac9a wrote

Look, as much as I’d like Metro to be free, the reality is if it were then it would become a mobile homeless shelter and platforms would become even more unsafe. There either needs to be some barrier to entry or Metro cars and platforms need to be heavily policed.

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Worldcitizen1905 t1_iu84poh wrote

You are correct. If paying riders are asked to subsidize evaders, many paying riders will start evading.

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