Will the T lose money with its parking-lot increase?
By adamg - Wed, 11/19/2008 - 10:52pm.
Train Rider reports the lot at his Worcester Line stop was less than half-full this morning now that it costs $4 to park (commuters at Forest Hills might not have much sympathy, though - they're now paying $6 a day). Also:
... It is impossible to fit four folded or rolled dollars into the slot. You have to fold two dollars together and then insert them twice. So, now it takes twice as long to pay. ... The dollar coins do NOT fit in the slots. So, if you want to use coins, you have to feed 16 quarters into the slots. ...
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I've noticed fewer people
I've noticed fewer people parked at my lot in Mansfield, too, but it's certainly not down by half, which means a net increase in revenue.
I honestly don't mind the increase that much. I really wish that they'd add some kind of credit card based payment system, though. I've found it's a lot harder to make sure I have $4 in cash each morning than $2.
non commuters park there
A lot of people who don't take the T often use those lots for parking. Maybe now that the price has gone up they've decided to take their chances with meters or maybe the local lots are $4 or less to park?
Time management
He makes some good points overall, but is this guy's schedule so tight that the extra 8 seconds it takes to fold bills and insert into the slot throws off his whole day?
Still annoying, though
Leaving aside the cost, I'd hate to have to remember to keep $20 of singles around every week. Why can't the T use CharlieCard for this purpose?
You can't "leave aside the cost."
If you want that, then they'd have to increase the fee more to pay to make/install it. And really, how hard is it to remember to have singles and, how hard is it to put them into a slot? Are we Americans that spoiled that we complain about such stupid things? Gee, what will you want next, valet parking at all T parking lots....free valet parking?
This begs another question
Why doesn't the MBTA have ticket vending machines at these stops anyway? Even in the enclosed stations at Woburn and Lowell, there is a ticket window that either is/isn't open and you can't buy tickets unless they take you all the way to Boston anyway. One would think that you could pay your fare and get your tickets, pay for a parking pass by the day, week, month, and then be on your way.
Everywhere else that I have travelled and used public transit there are ticket machines at every stop. Yes, this includes "notorius" areas like Compton and Watts. Granted, this is mostly light rail travel, but why doesn't the green line have them?
I have always found it really annoying that the T makes passengers migrate in to the center of the system to purchase tickets and passes - much more so than any other system that I have encountered. It used to be much worse when you could only buy bus passes at certain stations that I never got anywhere near to. Now you have to get to a subway station to use a credit card to fill a charlie card - not a real problem for me now that I'm downtown, but a pain in the arse when I used buses out of Charlestown.
If I can load up my son's Starbucks Card on the internet because I'm happy about a good report card, why can't I refill his charlie card on-line so he take a bus to Davis and enjoy his reward? Sure I can give him a couple of bucks, but the on-bus refill systems seem to be hit or miss these days.
Green Line D branch has ticket machines at each stop
and that's the part of the Green Line most like the Los Angeles system you describe. i don't know if there's enough room on the B, C, and E platforms for machines.
The Green Line extension stations in Somerville and Medford are supposed to all be prepayment stations with machines and fare gates, like Lechmere and Riverside are now.
Buy Stored Value on a
Buy Stored Value on a CharlieCard
https://commerce.mbta.com/
that's not what Swirly asked for
That's for buying a new CharlieCard, not adding value to one you already have.
4 singles is more than you think
Welcome to the real world, Pat man. Obviously, you've never had to have the required number of singles every day on the way to work. Even when it was $2, my wife was always asking me for parking money, and sometimes I wouldn't have it. Now, needing to have $4, she'll get more little tickets on the windshield because she couldn't pay.
I just checked my wallet now - I only have one single.
Golly, how about simple electronic parking, where you go up to a kiosk, pay by cash/credit/whatever, and put the ticket inside the windshield. These systems are all over Europe, what's the big deal?
It is what it is.
The "real world," as you put it, requires you to have $4 in singles a day and you'll have to slide it into a box...it's real simple but it sounds like you aren't ready for the real world. Go live in Europe if you think it so nice there.
One of many things
When it comes to things people should remember in their lives, having 4 singles in the AM should rate pretty low. A lot of people have kids (we don't), so they get home, make dinner, pick their kids up, take their kids somewhere, make sure they do their homework, etc. etc. etc. and finally get to bed. They wake up in the AM, get the kids up, fed, dressed, and off to school/day care, rush to the train and then, "FUCK", no singles. Again, this isn't my life, but it is a lot of other people's lives, and I can understand. Apparently, something like this is way beyond your comprehension.
It's really simple, just have a better way to pay. When the most complicated aspect of your life consists of making sure there's enough Bud Light and Doritos for the game, I don't expect you to understand.
It is really simple
Most civilized transit and parking systems, as well as grocery stores, shops, etc. take cash cards and credit cards.
I was appalled when I moved here in 1984 and so many basic, everyday things were "cash only". That meant that I had to get several hundred dollars to go shopping for my 30-person co op, and it was no wonder people got held up in store parking lots as a result - particularly on pay day when people would come in either flush with cash pay or to cash their checks at the courtesy window. I'm glad that so many now take cash cards, given the quantity of groceries we go through these days, because I don't like the idea of walking around with $250 on a regular basis.
That "cash only" mentality is still here I guess - only people are no longer walking ATMs and don't "just have" singles on them.
I personally run out of singles because I don't generate them. I use either the debit card or a credit card associated with my bank account that I pay off every week. What few singles I do generate tend to get doled out to kids in the morning because they want to get hot lunch that day, or there is a field trip and the school wants $13 in cash and the teacher doesn't want to make change, etc.
I guess the "real simple" part of it is that yet another municipal organization in Massachusetts can't groc the 21st century.
Stick this in your slot
A fun way to get back at the money-grubbing Man would be to have every commuter who parks at an MBTA lot simply put 400 pennies in their parking box.
Salem Station: 340 spaces x 400 pennies = mwa ha ha ha!!
I'd love to do this...
But they'd never fit...
Yes
Some days that time would be enough to make me miss the train.
Time to bring back $2 bills. Are they still around?
Middleboro/Lakeville
Middleboro/Lakeville has had a slight decrease, but nowhere near 50%. I'd venture maybe 5%, tops.
Also, one of my co workers who takes the Providence line tells me that his honor box accepts dollar coins. Lucky shmuck.
Abington
Abington has been about 25% empty this week, and it was packed to the brim last week (and all weeks previous).
Gas prices have been dropping
so that may also have some effect on what you're seeing.
I agree
I think the T missed the boat on raising the prices over the summer. It's a tough pill to swallow when gas prices drop and the parking prices go up.
All I know is I can't afford
All I know is I can't afford to park at the "T" lots at $4-5 a day every night. This is forcing me to have to park down in my secret spot near Lechemere to avoid paying the parking fees. I used to go to Sullivan Square a lot but probably will no longer do so except once in a blue moon.