Riders refuse to pay on more than one-third of all Metrobus trips

[Anonymous]

"Metrobus riders are skipping out on paying fares on 34 percent of trips, a percentage that has doubled during a pandemic that continues to decimate the transit agency’s finances.

A new report Monday showed Metro lost $10 million because of fare evasions during the final six months of last year."


https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/02/07/metro-fare-evasion-pandemic/

good luck putting this genie back in the bottle. only a matter of time before no one pays.

[Anonymous]

Didn't D.C. decriminalize fare evasion? Not surprising people aren't paying.

[Anonymous]

I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I think the buses in Portland, OR are free. In San Francisco, Muni is free to all kids up to 18/hs graduation. They have a metro card they're supposed to "boop" so the city can track who's using the mass transit system and how often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

That’s a great idea as long as it was paid for via a progressive tax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I think the buses in Portland, OR are free. In San Francisco, Muni is free to all kids up to 18/hs graduation. They have a metro card they're supposed to "boop" so the city can track who's using the mass transit system and how often.

Its already free for kids in D.C.

[Anonymous]

Probably half of the WMATA workforce is literally sleeping in the job and this is what they think is hurting finances?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I think the buses in Portland, OR are free. In San Francisco, Muni is free to all kids up to 18/hs graduation. They have a metro card they're supposed to "boop" so the city can track who's using the mass transit system and how often.

Its already free for kids in D.C.

No it isn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I agree with you. It would be such a service to people.

FWIW, Ride On buses in MD are still free.

[Anonymous]

Not only should buses be free, but so should the subway. Gas should be free too, and the government should give away cars too. Restaurants should be free and so should stores.

There's probably a mean old rich guy somewhere who can pay for all the stuff we don't want to have to pay for, right?

If you want to ride the bus, stop being such a fcking pathetic mooch and pay to ride the fkcking bus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I agree with you. It would be such a service to people.

FWIW, Ride On buses in MD are still free.

Every dollar in the D.C. budget is already spoken for. If you're not going to make people ride the bus, you're going to have to cut funding for something else. So who gets less because people don't want to have to pay to ride the bus. Should we cut affordable housing? How about aid to poor pregnant women? Aid to the disabled? Should that go because perfectly able bodied people with jobs don't want to have to bother paying for the bus?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I think the buses in Portland, OR are free. In San Francisco, Muni is free to all kids up to 18/hs graduation. They have a metro card they're supposed to "boop" so the city can track who's using the mass transit system and how often.

Its already free for kids in D.C.

No it isn’t.

Yes it is. See the Kids Ride Free program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I agree with you. It would be such a service to people.

FWIW, Ride On buses in MD are still free.

Every dollar in the D.C. budget is already spoken for. If you're not going to make people ride the bus, you're going to have to cut funding for something else. So who gets less because people don't want to have to pay to ride the bus. Should we cut affordable housing? How about aid to poor pregnant women? Aid to the disabled? Should that go because perfectly able bodied people with jobs don't want to have to bother paying for the bus?

Actually, the District is going to pay for those who don't pay. As are MD and VA. That's how Metro is funded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I think the buses in Portland, OR are free. In San Francisco, Muni is free to all kids up to 18/hs graduation. They have a metro card they're supposed to "boop" so the city can track who's using the mass transit system and how often.

Its already free for kids in D.C.

No it isn’t.

Yes it is. See the Kids Ride Free program.

Kids that enter the system are not automatically allowed to ride free. They can ride free through that program if they are DC residents enrolled in DC schools and have a pass. If they do not carry the pass with them they are not allowed to ride free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think metro bus should be free and we should just allocate taxes to it. This is an expensive city and free public buses would be an investment in a mobile work force. We could require some form of ID so that only District residents could skip paying (not photo ID, but like a metro card that didn't require payment that was only available to residents). It wouldn't be perfect, but it would help people get around.

I used to work at a legal clinic for low income clients and it was not uncommon for people to struggle to come to court dates or other appointments because even finding a few dollars for the bus was a challenge.

I agree with you. It would be such a service to people.

FWIW, Ride On buses in MD are still free.

Every dollar in the D.C. budget is already spoken for. If you're not going to make people ride the bus, you're going to have to cut funding for something else. So who gets less because people don't want to have to pay to ride the bus. Should we cut affordable housing? How about aid to poor pregnant women? Aid to the disabled? Should that go because perfectly able bodied people with jobs don't want to have to bother paying for the bus?

Actually, the District is going to pay for those who don't pay. As are MD and VA. That's how Metro is funded.

There's already virtually no aid for the disabled.

Just yesterday, in the union station thread I mentioned this woman who lives at the bus stop. She expects a voucher for everything, food, house, transportation, etc. She has never paid for a bus or metro her entire life.

I'm disabled and have to take public transportation. There are certain stations where no one ever pays. Station managers, transit police and dc police say nothing. When they see me coming through the didabled gate they run from the opposite direction and go through begore I can pass. Or they sneak up behind me on my heels. Happens everytime. Yet these people have lots of shopping bags in their hands.