Free ride in S.F.

We've talked about the debate in San Francisco about reducing or eliminating transit fares to get more riders to give up their cars. But we don't think officials had this in mind:

Transportation officials vowed to get tough on cable car operators after an audit found they only collect the $5 fare about 40 percent of the time. Auditors who rode undercover 42 times in December and January on the city’s three cable car routes said conductors collected cash fares only 25 times, the report said. San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency chief Nathaniel Ford said Thursday he will enact several measures to improve fare collection, including deploying plainclothes security personnel to observe staff on cable cars. Muni also budgeted more money to extend hours at the ticket kiosks at cable car turnarounds to encourage more passengers to pay their fares in advance. (from AP)

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Comments

[bb mendell]

"There is no free lunch...the San Francisco Treat"
Bicyclists all over the San Francisco ADI must be amused.
San Francisco has been successful in getting 42 per cent
of its commuters out of their automobiles and on to their
beloved street cars because those commuters have found
that the street cars are free (much to the surprise of city
officials--at least that's the city officials public position;
who knows how long the officials have known about this
before someone tipped the media).
So, California, how do you want it? Pay me now; or pay me later.
San Francisco has it right: buses and BART free; it's just another
tax (hidden fee) that everyone on their person magic carpets into
the city is paying. Cars are individual freedom; San Francisco
and every other city will find getting motorists off their magic carpets
will be impossible. You think getting guns off the seat is difficult;
try getting cars off the street. As for the bicyclists, pedal on, smiling!