Editor:
I know that I just wrote, but I have another comment regarding
so-called “fare evaders” or passengers entering the busses through the back door. When I lived in San Francisco, I had a Fast Pass, but I often entered the busses through the back door. After working 8 hours a day and five days per week on my feet, I desparately needed to have a seat when I got on the bus. The only way I could get one, when the buses were crowded, was by entering through the back door.
Here in Chico, the only time that there may be standing room only, is when schools let out. Otherwise, the bus drivers won’t even move the buses until passengers are seated after paying their fare. I have lived in Chico for 4 years, so I doubt that I could be arrested by the authorities of San Francisco, as any statute of limitations must have expired. Besides, I paid my fare.
Walter Ballin
Chico
Editor,
What is really needed is a fare strike like: Fare strikes all over Italy — a model for SF’s MUNI http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/01/1718880.php or: Fight or Walk: the Chicago Transit Fare Strike http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/02/1719206.php
To be honest, MUNI is so slow and late, I ride a bike [except when I have a flat, and I load it on a MUNI bus to take it the bike shop to get it fixed]. However, I support the riders wholeheartedly, because that keeps their cars off the street [and out of way].
The main folks who benefit from MUNI are the Downtown businesses, without which their employees would have to find other ways to get to their jobs in the Financial District. The answer is simple: make THEM pay for it… I already pay a disproportionate amount of taxes now…
Keep Up the Good Work! I log on to your site regularly for “The Best of the Rest”.
Peace,
Clark
Editor,
I just wanted to make a comment regarding Muni’s decision to increase fares again, and recent discussion about fare evaders as in Tuesday Examiner’s headline “Freeloaders hurt Muni bottom line”, and the editorial on people who refuse to pay while they board through the back doors “Muni riders getting a free pass”, or another headline about “Riding the Gravy Train”. After reading Muni’s $729,000 hammer by Ken Werner, Trinity Plaza Tenants Association (TPTA) 04.MAR.05 issue of Beyond the Cron, I think we know who is riding the “Gravy Train” and it isn’t the shmoe jumping in at the back because he doesn’t want to pay.
A more likely case is that the people jumping in the back door wanted to pay, but they found they did not have the correct fare. When they went to the muni station to get change for their trip, they found that there were no machines to make their 5.00 bill into coins or single dollars.
There were also no agents who could advise how they could get change for their trip, only a rude “we don’t make change”. There were no tokens available at any of the locations in town, and the Muni kiosk staff were taking another one of their ever so frequent breaks. Guess who gets to pick up the slack for the Muni slackers? The local merchants around the stations where the angry potential rider has going to get change that Muni should provide so their riders can easily pay their fare.
Why should the merchants provide change when the rider doesn’t even buy anything at their store. Better still, when the rider is told “no change without purchase” they have to buy things they don’t want or need just so they can pay for a trip on Muni?
No wonder people are angry. I would jump in the back too if I did not faithfully receive a monthly pass as an employee benefit, which makes it easy to pay my way. Many times I have been furious at this scenario which I have experienced personally, and always when I have no extra time to go looking around for a place to buy a stick of gum or a cup of coffee so I can get some coins. I know some will say “you should have planned ahead”, but I can guarantee many others like me out there think that it is ridiculous. Including most of the tourists that I talk to every day.Get a clue Muni, make it easier for people to pay their way, not harder.
Thanks for listening.
Anonymous
Editor,
Here in Chico, although we don’t have bus service at nights and on Sundays, the bus service is much more efficient. Since I moved here four years ago, there have been improvements to our service with additional routes. There have been no increases in fares, although there may be a small increase coming. The city of Chico and Butte County manage to make our dollars go further.
Of course I have nothing but bad to say about Bush and Schwarzenegger, who have not been any better for Chico and Butte County than the San Francisco Bay Area. Definetely, the downtown corporations need to be made to pay their fair share for Muni. Some streets in the downtown area need to be closed to automobiles. However, I also believe that San Francisco’s government is guilty of mismanagement.
Walter Ballin
Chico
You can submit letters to the editor by clicking on this link:rshaw@beyondchron.org
or by writing to:
Beyond Chron
126 Hyde Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
415-771-9850 (phone)
415-771-1287 (fax)
