A Lawsuit brought on by private charter companies so they can provide the same service at 5X the fare to the rider. Hey folks, METRO is still a great price at $2 each way, even if you come from a bit farther, your King County Metro Operated Sound Transit Routes are only $2.50. I urge everyone to take METRO to the games, do not feed into the charter companies round-about ways of trying to make a profit. A part of another article said "Starline had to layoff 32 people", heres an interesting fact, METRO has hired about THREE times that since the beginning of the year. Support local, union jobs, your METRO driver. Support KC Metro as a service, and pass on the buses that are in it for a profit!It's official: The Mariners shuttle express is coming to an end.
After a federal court ruling last week, King County Metro Transit officials said Wednesday they are sending the Mariner's a 14-day notice they plan to end the service, as required by the contract with the team.
"That notice states that Metro's special transportation services for the baseball games will end after the June 18-24 home stand. This will allow time for Metro and the Mariners to give fans adequate advance notice, so they can make alternative transportation plans," Metro said in a news release.
The shuttle briefly resumed this year after Democratic Sen. Patty Murray fought for a provision in the federal transportation spending bill allowing the Mariners and Seattle Sounders soccer team to contract with Metro to provide shuttle service for fans. The "Murrary provision" was in response to Bush administration ruling that public transit agencies could not provide special service to games and other public events if private charter companies were able and willing to do so.
A federal judge struck down the provision last week.
The shuttle service was popular with fans, who could ride from Eastgate, South Bellevue, South Kirkland and Northgate for $5 each way. From a transit perspective, it also kept cars off the road. Private companies charge higher prices.
Fans still can take regular bus or light rail service to games.
2 comments:
Private companies charge higher prices only because they actually have to pay their way.
They don't get a "freebie" Government hand out like Metro does. If private transit can serve the purpose it should be left to do so, the taxpayer shouldn't have to pay for something that will sustain itself.
I'm of course against subsidizing automobiles too, as the subsidies encourage our incessant demand for oil far past what it would be without subsidies.
Of course... that'll be argued even though it is probably one of the most intensely responsible parties in perpetuating our poor lifestyle choices (I say we, I mostly mean suburbanites).
But I digress... metro shouldn't be allowed to wreck a perfectly good business and put those people out of work when they're doing something like running a transit service. The authorities were created for a specific reason, wrecking private businesses that are actually sustainable economically isn't one of them.
While I somewhat agree with out, I must point out, METRO already had the facilities in place for this service, Park & Rides. Resources, such as 60' comfy seat coaches, and local union operators to operate them. However, METRO Paid nothing for this service to exist, the Mariners team management paid for 100% of the service. So while helping use P&Rs that are fairly empty on weekends anyways, it also may have invited a few riders that don't use METRO now to consider using them in the future.
I have also always felt charter services are best for long trips, or those outings that need flexibility. METRO Works best for the special service because of how easy it was to set it up with relation to the regular service they run.
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