New Calgary transit fees.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

Ozy,

That $3/day will not help lower taxes. They are still going to charge me 9.4% next year on top of it. $3/day is $900 a year. that is approximately a 90% property tax increase.

No, it's a user fee. Don't like the fee? Don't use the parking system. It really is as simple as that.

[pepper24]

I think it's only fair that they charge the drivers the $3 per day instead of tacking that onto the transit pass fare. I am actually surprised that it has taken this long to implement and think that park and pay is a great idea. I just hope that they implement a montly parking pass to avoid congestion vs. paying daily.

A $15 increase over 3 years for a monthly transit pass is a steal. $90 is still a good price IMO.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Hey that's fine. There will be plenty of people who are going to pay it, and for those who don't, you'll find that a nice fat ticket will bridge that gap. That $3 / day will help the City to lower taxes, I hope you realize that.

Also, I would hope you have a stronger regard for morals and better civic pride. Abusing the honor system commands low respect.

During rush hour when trains are packed. In three years commuting I've only been on the train twice when officers checked fares and even then that was off-peak and I wasn't even commuting. That 'Fat ticket' has to be more than $3000 to provide financial incentive to pay.

I agree with the moral arguement and that's why I pay everyday. My point was there's economic incentive to avoid paying and increased fees will also increase this avoidance.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

Or the dishonoring the honor system option:

Park 'N Ride $3(20 days) = $60, cheaper than the old $70 pass for a savings of $10!


I've seen transit cops ticket canvass the train car I've been on twice in 3 years commuting downtown and both times were off peak. Delaying hiring new transit cops won't improve the enforcement issue either. If people really need that money or just don't respect the way the city uses it expect to not fully realize that revenue anyway.

Interesting... I've always wondered about that. Before I had always taken a bus to catch the c-train (so it was a moot point), but if you're only taking the train, you could probably get away with it pretty easily. I mean, when the C-train is packed to the gills during AM and PM rush hour, the odds of having C-Train cops actually checking for tickets is probably slim to none. I suppose they could still try to catch people on the way home though (i.e. standing at the doors of the C-train platform checking for tickets)... not that I condone that type of thing

P.S. It sounds like they were hiring 18 additional transit cops, but that number got reduced to 9. So the actual number of transit cops will actually go up...

[RedHot25]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

No, it's a user fee. Don't like the fee? Don't use the parking system. It really is as simple as that.

This is what is confusing me. During Ralph's days with the province, with the cuts, wasn't one of things user fees. I.e. the idea above. It seemed a lot of people were ok with that at the time. But yet now a user fee is introduced for this, and...? Just an interesting dichotomy (and yes I know I am super simplifying things...).

[North East Goon]

Why doesnt the city raise the transit passes to $90.00 and charge a $3.00 entry fee to drivers into downtown? Wouldnt that spread the cost around a little better?

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

During rush hour when trains are packed. In three years commuting I've only been on the train once when officers checked fares and even then that was off-peak and I wasn't even commuting. That 'Fat ticket' has to be more than $3000 to provide financial incentive to pay.

I agree with the moral arguement and that's why I pay everyday. My point was there's economic incentive to avoid paying and increased fees will also increase this avoidance.

I read in the paper that Calgary Transit estimates that something like 97% (I believe that was the number) pay transit fares. I am guessing they base this on random ticket checks by transit cops but they didn't exactly say how.

[Kerplunk]

Maybe we should do this with the pedestrian bridges they want to put in as well. $1 per crossing. They should almost pay for themselves.

[Ethaniel]

Why could they just not remove the Free Fare zone? have Transit cops patrol it everyday. Give out tonnes of tickets plus you would get the $3 from all business people.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

Why could they just not remove the Free Fare zone? have Transit cops patrol it everyday. Give out tonnes of tickets plus you would get the $3 from all business people.

How would all the homeless people get around?

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

Why doesnt the city raise the transit passes to $90.00 and charge a $3.00 entry fee to drivers into downtown? Wouldnt that spread the cost around a little better?

Then you're charging folks that use transit but don't use the parking lot. Also, parking into downtown is already expensive.

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Then you're charging folks that use transit but don't use the parking lot. Also, parking into downtown is already expensive.

They are raising the transit passes for all to $90.00 a month anyway. How much of that money for drivers parking downtown is ending up in the City of Calgary's pockets?

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by Ethaniel

it is not a story multiple cases of this is occurring everyday and you just don't realize it. You have your blinders on if you don't realize this. Get a better paying job wow I mean people can do this regularly when they want to just go out and get a better job. Man Calgary has the solution for the rest of the world then. Everyone just go get a better paying job. So Single mom decides to take the bus to the park and ride station avoiding a $60/month charge, but in doing so requires 2 more hours (cause transit buses are horrible) of childcare. 2 kids on average will cost her more than the $60 to park, thus she is stuck with paying $900 more a year that she can not afford.

Yea it may be a sad case but it exists and until you realize this and many other cases like it exist you can stay in your bed.

Yeah, I realize it happens. I was one such case. I changed my life because of it. So I actually get out of bed earlier now, kthx, bye.

[pepper24]

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/...ap5721601.html

Huge fare hike proposed for NYC transit system

[Jayems]

any word on how many stalls are going in the new Crowfoot station? My guess is 400. What they need? 2,000. God I hated taking transit in the AM because if you didn't get there before 7:30, you werent getting a spot. (damn shiftwork)

[pepper24]

Originally Posted by North East Goon

They are raising the transit passes for all to $90.00 a month anyway. How much of that money for drivers parking downtown is ending up in the City of Calgary's pockets?

Increasing to $90 over 3 years, not right away.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by FireFly

Yeah, I realize it happens. I was one such case. I changed my life because of it. So I actually get out of bed earlier now, kthx, bye.

You should write a book so people like Ethaniel can become great people too! But seriously, it's good that you did that but not everyone is the same and especially if you are already living inside the city limits and paying city taxes, and the city is approving the new communities they should be helping out. I thought the point of the ctrain was to bring in people from the outskirt communities to downtown instead of having them all drive. I'm not really affected by this but I would probably get together with 3 other people and start to carpool downtown if I was. I would work out to the same price about. Maybe that could be an idea for some of you, three people paying $150 each a month for parking downtown is about $1800.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Why don't they cut pass buyers some sort of discount to park in the lots?

[North East Goon]

Originally Posted by pepper24

Increasing to $90 over 3 years, not right away.

My plan would still be a better incentive for people to take transit, improving congested streets and our enviroment. Congested park and rides would be the trade-off.

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Why don't they cut pass buyers some sort of discount to park in the lots?

I think that's the idea. At least that's what the original proposal entailed.