When do they finally Axe Park N Ride?

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Burninator

Yeah students sure get screwed over...having to pay less than a monthly pass for a whole semester of transit use.

It could be worse. I recently listened to an inebriated senior complain about the cost of his senior's transit pass on the train. Something about how he'd been contributing his whole life... Right, if the only tax you pay is on your cheap booze, then you're not exactly a contributer to society.

And the senior's pass is only $35 per year (for high income seniors). By comparison, an adult pass is $1080 per year.

[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by bizaro86

And the senior's pass is only $35 per year (for high income seniors). By comparison, an adult pass is $1080 per year.

that is crazy! why should they get such a discount? I guess they probably wouldn't use transit as much as a working person though, and would rather drive their big boat fancy car then ride transit. still seems like way too big a difference

[Byrns]

Why shouldn't seniors get a discount? I'd let them ride for free if I was in charge.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Byrns

Why shouldn't seniors get a discount? I'd let them ride for free if I was in charge.

Keep them out of the drivers seat, eh? I like the way you think.

[CrusaderPi]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Keep them out of the drivers seat, eh? I like the way you think.

Free bus passes for the other two Os as well. Now we're getting somewhere.

[Knut]

Orientals and Orangutans ?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Orientals and Orangutans ?

Ovary-equipped?

[CrusaderPi]

Ovaries.

[Traditional_Ale]

Let's just have mandatory road-testing every year. You fail, you're banned from driving, but get free transit.

Orientals simply get free transit on top of being paid to not take the test.

[algernon]

Plus, if ticketed for anything while being triple-O, automatic 5 year prohibition from driving. Especially distracted driving due to 43 bobblehead kitties on the dash.

[frinkprof]

Cross-posting in this thread. Also posted in the Calgary Public Transit thread

Reservable parking stalls at LRT lots opposed


By Lea Storry, Calgary Herald February 13, 2011 7:12 AM

Some aldermen are criticizing a proposal to make up to half of the parking spots at LRT park-and-ride lots reservable while charging $70 for the service.

The proposal, to be discussed by city council Monday, comes in the wake of the December decision to axe the daily $3 parking fee. The changes are slated to take effect in April.

[...]

Ward 5 Ald. Ray Jones voted to get rid of the daily fee, but said keeping up to 50 per cent of spots for reservations is too high.

"I think we should start with 25 per cent . . . and see how it works," said Jones. "We should at least experiment with it."

[...]

A survey done this past January by the transportation department found 23 per cent of current and former park-and-ride users would be interested in paying for reserved parking spaces with the average willing to cough up $70 a month.

[...]

Will Stach takes the LRT to get to his classes at the University of Calgary. The 20-year-old used to park at the Southland LRT Station, but stopped after the fee was introduced. He added he won't be shelling out 70 bucks for a primo parking spot either.

"It's not really in my budget to do that," said Stach. "I'm used to taking the bus now to the train. It's a habit."

[...]

"People want more transit," noted Pincott. "I think Calgarians are saying, and have been saying for years, if you give us an efficient transit system that works, then I will use it."

Link to the rest of the article

[frinkprof]

I should note that the headline is a bit misleading I think. Sounds like the aldermen in question aren't opposed to the idea, and are warm to a modified version of the idea with less reserved spots.

[monocle]

"It's not really in my budget to do that," said Stach. "I'm used to taking the bus now to the train. It's a habit."

I think this should be encouraged. I hope he's not whining.

[frinkprof]

City approves park-and-ride reserved spots

Last Updated: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 | 8:20 AM MT


Commuters who want to reserve a parking spot at Calgary's LRT lots will soon get that chance.

The current $3-a-day fee will be done away with on April 1.

However, the city will move to a system where commuters can pay $70 a month to reserve a spot in the park-and-ride lots.

Up to half of the spots in each lot will be designated as reserved, starting in April.

City administration is also going to study the feasibility of offering free or reduced-price spaces for carpoolers.

City council voted 10-5 to kill the park-and-ride fee in December. The fee has been used to improve security and conditions in the parking lots since being introduced in 2009, but many see it as a nuisance.

[...]

Link to the rest of the article

[Jimmy Stang]

I hope that they keep some short-term spots available. I find that they are quite handy when needing to go downtown for a couple of hours in the middle of the day. Of course, there will be increased demand for free all-day parking if many of the spots are going to be reserved. Plus, the city may "sell" those spots for reservations instead.

[The Yen Man]

I dunno, I don't have any problems with them allocating some spots for reserved pay parking. I don't think it should be 50 percent though. Maybe make it 20-30% max.

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by The Yen Man

I dunno, I don't have any problems with them allocating some spots for reserved pay parking. I don't think it should be 50 percent though. Maybe make it 20-30% max.

50% does seem pretty high. I guess the argument could be made that those that reserve would be competing for free spots anyway, so the same number of people will be utilizing the lots whether 20, 30 or 50% end up paying. The big challenge will be finding out what percentage would actually be willing to pay.

Enforcement will be interesting. If someone pulls up at 9:55 AM and has a reserved spot and all are taken, what happens then? Instant tow to an offending vehicle? Some kind of swipe to enter system for the reserved portion of the lot? Will the spaces be numbered or will the reserved section have 100 spots and exactly 100 reservations sold?

[North East Goon]

The reserved pay spots should work for the deep south and deep northwest lines. The northeast line will not work though.

[frinkprof]

It should be noted that the motion passed means that a maximum of 50% of the spots can be reserved. I'd imagine that they might start at 50% for all lots, estimate demand based on take-up and usage and then adjust downward accordingly. Could go the other way too where they start at a low ball figure and scale up from there.

I hope that the percentage of spots won't end up being applied across-the-board to all lots and that some have higher or lower based on approximate demand. As North East Goon mentions, the demand isn't as high in the northeast in general, nor at select lots on the other lines, but is quite high at some lots where you might even be able to go over 50% if the bylaw that was just passed allowed it.

[frinkprof]

More information on the Park and Ride paid reservation system.

On April 4, Calgary Transit will implement a reserved parking program at some LRT park and ride lots. The cost to reserve a space will be $70 per month. The number of parking spaces set aside for reserved parking in each lot will be based on customer demand for each month up to a maximum of 50% of the spaces in each lot.
Calgary Transit was directed to begin implementation of this new service on the following schedule:

Lots at terminal stations - Crowfoot, McKnight West Winds, and Somerset Bridlewood, plus continuation of reserved parking at Fish Creek Lacombe.
Lots that currently have the highest usage (in addition to the above) – Dalhousie, Brentwood, Barlow-Max Bell, Shawnessy, Southland, Chinook, and 39 Ave S.
Remaining LRT station lots (depending on demand).
Reserved parking will not be available in parking lots that serve bus routes at this time but may be added to the program at a later date, based on customer demand.

It is anticipated that it may take approximately two months to fully establish the reserved areas in all of the lots and this too will be based on customer demand.

If you would like to be notified about when we will begin accepting reservations and how the program will work please sign up for Calgary Transit Email Alerts for park and ride, starting Wednesday, February 23. You will be able to specify which lots you are interested in learning about. When you have signed up, we will automatically email you the information as soon as it is available.

http://www.calgarytransit.com/html/p...e_changes.html