Do you have cite for this?
Also, you do know that your cell phone has an off button, and can be left at home, right? And that you can choose to pay cash and be untraceable, right? And that in most of the world, very poor people do not actually own cell phones with wifi because they cannot afford them -unless yours is a government supplied free phone. Right?
Also where, again, is the real or implied racism associated with bus pass costs? You have failed to make any sort of case here. Only $100 per month for getting anywhere you need to go? Sounds like a bargain to me. I spend many times that in car ownership every month. Go ahead and get a Vespa, let alone a car, and figure out how much that will run you.
Again, how is this racist? BTW I just checked: in my county the bus routes are seriously limited and inadequate for most realistic needs. And l live in a very, very low cost of living area. Monthly transit passes here are $80 per month. I would actually have expected socal to be significantly higher that what it is.
No, it’s not. It’s an unwelcome additional burden on the limited-income population but it’s not racist. “Racist” might be an argument if in order to save on expenses they cut or eliminated busy routes through black and Latino neighborhoods but left intact high-loss routes through white neighborhoods. $100 for a monthly pass in LA? To be expected. Is the amount of the raise socking it to the poor? One could say that, but again: to be expected. The poor usually get the shaft regardless of their race.
Heck, on my smartphone the WiFi is “off” 24/7, and so are all the “location services” other than the maps/directions, and all “push” notifications from apps. Not only do I enjoy a peaceful afternoon of shopping with no advertising interruptions and no ringing unless someone alive’s actually calling/texting me, I also get a lot better battery life.
Oh, and my smartphone does lowercase letters and single spaces just fine in both the web app and Tapatalk.
I don’t know how it is in St Louis, but in L.A., the MTA runs all of the urban bus and rail service. . There’s just the one flat fare throughout the system.
Metrolink, the local commuter rail service to the OC, Ventura, and the Inland Empire, has zoned fares but still very reasonable compared to what I’ve heard about BART; OTOH BART does offer more frequent and later service.
Is the Los Angeles County Metro RACIST by agreeing to raise fares on those that need it most?
No.
The next time you go to Wal-Mart, be sure you pick up some aluminum foil. It makes a great hat to keep the government from picking up your thoughts.
@ chiroptera - the free phones (which are not actually supplied by the government, but paid for by fees from all phone subscribers) don’t have wifi. I doubt mine even has 3G.
Apparently you are that someone. I doubt all transit workers in L.A. County are wealthy white people. And while some might have what you’d term “non-essential” jobs (because they’re not your job), I suspect a wave of firings might just have an impact on bus service.
Also, good correlation between that quote and username.
In Atlanta a one way fare is $2.50, a 30 day pass is $95.00. And this on a system that pales in comparison to LA, NY or pretty much any large city. Sounds to me like you’re getting a good deal even after the increase.
Wait, maybe they hate suburbanites more, since Metra fares range from $2.75 to $9.25 for one-way tickets. (Really, they hate downstate/non-commuter taxpayers since, as with most public transit systems, taxes cover so much more than actual fare charges do.)
NCTD (North (San Diego) County Transit District charges $2 for the bus, same for the Sprinter train. I haven’t looked into a pass, though, since I don’t use transit often enough to warrant it.
If you have ti raise fares on anyone, it probably makes sense ti do it on the people who need it most. If you raise it on people who have other options, they’ll take them.
It’s not racist to make you cover the cost of your preferred mode of transportation. A huge fleet of buses costs money, and the taxpayers of the area shouldn’t have to pick up the tab. You suggest firing 1,000 workers to solve the problem, but then you’d probably think it was racist when they remove your local bus stop or only run service every couple hours to compensate. There’s nothing racist about this, buses are a privilege just the same as owning your own car is. If it costs more to run the buses, expect to pay more. That’s life. You can choose to ride a bike, change your routine, get a scooter, have a friend drive you, any number of things.
