I dont get it. Our Socialist neighbor to the North, Canada, only subsidizes its transit 64%. (http://www.translink.bc.ca/reports/transport99/budget99.pdf). Farebox and other (advertising) revenue covers about 36% of their budgets. Here in Washington we have ranged from about 80% taxpayer subsidy of riders (Metro King County) to about 94% (Whatcom). And BC Ferries cover 96% of their ferry costs with farebox revenue, versus our 16%. I thought that Canada was the nanny state, not Washington. Live and learn, I guess.

Why are OUR public services so much more dependent on taxes than THEIR public services?

-- Craig Carson (craigcar@crosswinds.net), December 23, 1999

Answers

I can't wait for the responses to THIS one!

-- Marsha (acorn_nut@hotmail.com), December 23, 1999.

Could be the higher fares.

When I visited Vancouver BC via Amtrak (a little sidenote, everyone should at least take the train once to Vancouver BC, the scenery is beautiful! ^.^), I relied on the Skytrain, their lightrail system to travel about the city.

If I recall correctly, the fare was $1.50 CND each time one uses the Skytrain. There were no passes or anything similar. BC Transit also had cameras and security there at the terminals to make sure no one would just slip on by without buying a fare. Also, from reading the rules, BC Transit personnel reserve the right to ask any passenger for their ticket stub. If one is caught on the Skytrain without the proper ticket, that person is subject to a $50-75 fine.

The Skytrain works pretty well. The system runs from the north side of downtown Vancouver by the hovercraft ferry terminal, through downtown Vancouver, by the train station and further west through MetroTown. The system moved quite a bit people in a relatively short amount of time. Riding the Skytrain made me more hopeful for a similar system in the Puget Sound Region.

But, I digress. ^_^; From what I observed, the fact that everyone had to pay for each time a person traveled on the Skytrain provided much revenue. In addition, the amount of advertising is much more pervasive in the Skytrain terminals.

This could account for why BC Transit can fund such a system without using that much in the way of taxpayer money.

Fei Yen

-- Fei Yen (feiyen_srv14a@yahoo.com), December 23, 1999.

"If I recall correctly, the fare was $1.50 CND each time one uses the Skytrain. There were no passes or anything similar. BC Transit also had cameras and security there at the terminals to make sure no one would just slip on by without buying a fare. Also, from reading the rules, BC Transit personnel reserve the right to ask any passenger for their ticket stub. If one is caught on the Skytrain without the proper ticket, that person is subject to a $50-75 fine. " You mean the number of people who ride Metro without paying, either legally or as scofflaws is why I pay more to subsidize it?? That's a hell of a note, if correct. Westin- what do you think about that?

"But, I digress. ^_^; From what I observed, the fact that everyone had to pay for each time a person traveled on the Skytrain provided much revenue. In addition, the amount of advertising is much more pervasive in the Skytrain terminals. "

Also, if you READ the above site, they got $134 million from fares, and only $3.2 million from advertising. Why do people guess when all they have to do is read the reference that someone has already cited for them? Smiley faces not withstanding, that contributes more noise than signal to the discussion. Everyone has a right to an opinion, I suppose, but informed opinions are generally more to be valued than uninformed opinions.

By the way, $1.50 Canadian is essentially one dollar at todays exchange rate. Do you think LINK is going to charge you less?

-- Craig Carson (craigcar@crosswinds.net), December 23, 1999.

It's the demographics, stupid. Demand for transit is greater in Canada, since folks in socialist countries can't afford a car. Actually, Canadians use their transit more, since they're just "better" human beings.

-- Matthew M. Warren (mattinsky@msn.com), December 26, 1999.