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Jimmy Stang · 12-02-2010, 08:45 AM

I wonder if it would have been worth it to reduce the fee instead of doing away with it. $3 was always a bit steep in my mind, but something like $1.50 would be a lot easier for people to swallow, still bring in some revenue, and probably would have been more in tune with the supply and demand of the lots. With free parking, there is too much demand. With $3 parking, the demand dropped and there was an oversupply of parking spots at many stations. Somewhere in the middle might have been better for parking, revenue, ridership, etc.

That's all hindsight now, but I do agree that parking is one of those things that all taxpayers shouldn't have to subsidize, but I think that the fee was poorly implemented in the first place.

One other scenario that used to grind my gears was the fact that the fee was in effect until 6 PM, well past the period where it was necessary (from a demand standpoint). I can park at the James Short parkade downtown after 4 PM for $2, yet a suburban park and ride lot in the middle of the afternoon exodus still would cost $3, plus train fare both ways.

12-02-2010, 08:45 AM	#357
Jimmy Stang Franchise Player Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Calgary Exp:	I wonder if it would have been worth it to reduce the fee instead of doing away with it. $3 was always a bit steep in my mind, but something like $1.50 would be a lot easier for people to swallow, still bring in some revenue, and probably would have been more in tune with the supply and demand of the lots. With free parking, there is too much demand. With $3 parking, the demand dropped and there was an oversupply of parking spots at many stations. Somewhere in the middle might have been better for parking, revenue, ridership, etc. That's all hindsight now, but I do agree that parking is one of those things that all taxpayers shouldn't have to subsidize, but I think that the fee was poorly implemented in the first place. One other scenario that used to grind my gears was the fact that the fee was in effect until 6 PM, well past the period where it was necessary (from a demand standpoint). I can park at the James Short parkade downtown after 4 PM for $2, yet a suburban park and ride lot in the middle of the afternoon exodus still would cost $3, plus train fare both ways.