When do they finally Axe Park N Ride?

[Rifleman]

If I were mayor, I'd make the parking spots closest to the C-Train $3 per day. Next batch of closest spots would be $1 a day. The other 50% to 60% of the lot would be free.

It would let the city generate cash while giving people who can afford to pay for it a way to get a spot.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Rifleman

If I were mayor, I'd make the parking spots closest to the C-Train $3 per day. Next batch of closest spots would be $1 a day. The other 50% to 60% of the lot would be free.

It would let the city generate cash while giving people who can afford to pay for it a way to get a spot.

The problem is, the highest demand seems to be on the outer edges on the city.

Why reduce the price when demand is high?

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by redforever

The problems Calgary Transit experiences are not exacerbated because of casual users from the country, who by the way have paid taxes towards the CTrain as well.

To start with; while you may be a casual user, there are many people in the outlying communities who use it on a daily basis. I work with some.

The second point; yes provincial and federal money paid for a good chunk of Calgary Transit. Are you trying to imply that your community doesn't see a dime of federal/provinical infrastructure money?

I'm sure we could sit there and figure out how much each community pays per captia; and then how much it receives per capita. But at the end of the day while you may have paid for Calgary Transit, I paid for a bridge in Okotoks that I never use.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by GGG

Yes they would but at some point you would reach pricing equilibrium. If Anderson was free I wouldn't drive to Anderson from Bridlewood. I would rather pay $3 than drive 7 km and fight traffic. If Fish Creek were free I would drive there but i wouldn't go furthur than that. So the pricing would be in flux for a while but eventually you would probably pay about $1 at Anderson and $3 and Sommerset.

Some valid points I didn't think of. I can see where driving from Bridlewood to Anderson would be a pain. McLeod Trail during rush hour is a real pain.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rathji

The problem is, the highest demand seems to be on the outer edges on the city.

Why reduce the price when demand is high?

If demand is high why are the lots half empty?

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Dion

If demand is high why are the lots half empty?

Somerset is empty? If so, then I stand corrected. Evidence from people on this board has indicated that the lots on the ends of all 3 of the C-train lines are normally quite a bit fuller than the more inner city stations. I am not talking about stops 4-5 in from the end of the line here.

Before the $3 Park and Ride fare was added, I tried to drive to get on at Somerset and I was there about 7:15 or so and it was full without fail. I haven't been back but people have indicated it is still full fairly early.

The point is, the post I was referring to said the parking cost should be cheaper in Somerset than in Anderson. Why have a higher price where the lot is half empty and less where the lot is chronically full? Especially if the purpose is to both encourage people to take transit and maximize the money coming in to the system so people who live here don't need to pay through the nose to make up a $60 million shortfall.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Yes, but to stop charging for something there is obviously still a demand for is foolish, especially when the parking downtown alternative is expensive enough to warrant the additional chage.

I'm not suggesting you don't charge anything. I just dislike the idea of charging an outisider more. I seem to remember city council looking at this issue some years back with them deciding not to follow through. I seem to remember one Alderman saying that outsiders spend a lot of money when they are in Calgary and that helps to generate tax revenue.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Somerset is empty? If so, then I stand corrected. Evidence from people on this board has indicated that the lots on the ends of all 3 of the C-train lines are normally quite a bit fuller than the more inner city stations. I am not talking about stops 4-5 in from the end of the line here.

The NW leg parking lots are only about 1/2 full now.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Rathji

Somerset is empty? If so, then I stand corrected. Evidence from people on this board has indicated that the lots on the ends of all 3 of the C-train lines are normally quite a bit fuller than the more inner city stations. I am not talking about stops 4-5 in from the end of the line here.

I was refering to lots near the end of the line like Anderson.

Before the $3 Park and Ride fare was added, I tried to drive to get on at Somerset and I was there about 7:15 or so and it was full without fail. I haven't been back but people have indicated it is still full fairly early.

I can remeber when it was almost impossible to get a parking space at Anderson. Luckily for me the feeder system we had in Queensland was really good.

The point is, the post I was referring to said the parking cost should be cheaper in Somerset than in Anderson. Why have a higher price where the lot is half empty and less where the lot is chronically full? Especially if the purpose is to both encourage people to take transit and maximize the money coming in to the system so people who live here don't need to pay through the nose to make up a $60 million shortfall.

Fair enough

[redforever]

Originally Posted by ken0042

To start with; while you may be a casual user, there are many people in the outlying communities who use it on a daily basis. I work with some.

The second point; yes provincial and federal money paid for a good chunk of Calgary Transit. Are you trying to imply that your community doesn't see a dime of federal/provinical infrastructure money?

I'm sure we could sit there and figure out how much each community pays per captia; and then how much it receives per capita. But at the end of the day while you may have paid for Calgary Transit, I paid for a bridge in Okotoks that I never use.

No I am not. I am implying that the residents of Calgary also use the roads and infrastructure in the country.

And as someone else said, we don't all necessarily use health services, schools, any social service or infrastructure in the same way, some are high users, some dont use them at all.

But we all pay taxes, and as such, don't crap the bed because someone else uses a service that we both have paid for.

[Flames0910]

Not totally related to parking, but is there any reason the city couldn't afford machines that give your quarters back on a $2.50 transit ticket?

Edit: For the record, I drive the cluster that is Macleod Trail into downtown on a daily basis.

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by pepper24

We used to provide parking stalls to our employees (taxable) but we changed that a few years back to instead give our employees $600 per month (taxable) parking allowances. They get the choice to find parking or find other options like public transit. I walk to work so before I rented out my stall but I know many now are using public transit because it's much more affordable and they can use the difference towards better things.

WTF? They gave everyone a $7200/year raise just so that they could park somewhere?

[boogerz]

The $3 park and ride is incredibly annoying, but being able to get a spot on the train in rush hour is nice

If they keep it, maybe they can adjust it to have free parking in non peak hours. Perhaps after 6pm or on weekends.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by boogerz

The $3 park and ride is incredibly annoying, but being able to get a spot on the train in rush hour is nice

If they keep it, maybe they can adjust it to have free parking in non peak hours. Perhaps after 6pm or on weekends.

There is no $3 fee after 6 or on weekends

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Shazam

WTF? They gave everyone a $7200/year raise just so that they could park somewhere?

I think you missed the part where they were providing parking before.

They took the service away and provided the cash instead.

[Shazam]

It is free after six and on weekends. You sure you take the train?

[Shazam]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

I think you missed the part where they were providing parking before.

They took the service away and provided the cash instead.

So every employee had parking?

Man, when I worked downtown, people would assassinate each other for parking spots in the tower.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by redforever

No I am not. I am implying that the residents of Calgary also use the roads and infrastructure in the country.

And as someone else said, we don't all necessarily use health services, schools, any social service or infrastructure in the same way, some are high users, some dont use them at all.

But we all pay taxes, and as such, don't crap the bed because someone else uses a service that we both have paid for.

Good points! I also paid school taxes all those years I lived in Calgary but never had any kids to put through the system.

[TylerSVT]

I think what everyone here is forgetting is the COST of riding the train.

Im not talking about dollar figures, im talking about COST. IE, what is your valuation on riding the train?

For myself, $3 is way too much money to spend when i have to sit in a smelly trains that are never heated properly, breakdown consistantly and are almost always overcrowded.

I've been to Seoul and other major cities in Asian countries and they have it right, you pay a certain fee for transit, you get a discount when you are done riding (say tickets were 4 dollars, when you get to your station you get a refund based up your distance to the next stop. If i went one stop i get 3.75 back, if i went ten stops i get 1 dollar back etc.) Everything is done via turnstyle, the doors close when they want and the trains are ALWAYS on time.

Our system is flawed, they should invest in a better SYSTEM of doing tansit, IE. turnstyles and oyster cards.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by redforever

No I am not. I am implying that the residents of Calgary also use the roads and infrastructure in the country.

And as someone else said, we don't all necessarily use health services, schools, any social service or infrastructure in the same way, some are high users, some dont use them at all.

But we all pay taxes, and as such, don't crap the bed because someone else uses a service that we both have paid for.

But there are user fees for many of those services, on top of the tax costs to the public. How much is it for a kid in High School per year? How about for a trip to the clinic for some services? If I go to a City pool or golf course, I need to pay a user fee. That fee doesn't get charged to my neighbour, or the guy in Okotoks, does it?

Why should high demand parking be any different?

No one is claiming a person from Okotoks (for example) should pay more than the normal transit fee, even though CT operating costs are subsidized by Calgarian's taxes. We are just saying that the convenience of driving to a CTrain station and parking for a day in a high demand spot over taking a (sometimes crappy) feeder bus from your neighbour to that same station should cost extra money.

That fee is equal for all people, city residents or not, who choose to have that extra convenience.