Metrolink approves rate hike

Fares on Metrolink trains will go up by 3% on average system-wide this summer, transit officials announced today.

The hike, approved by the agency’s board of directors, would equate to a $5 to $6 increase a month for a typical monthly pass holder, for example, said Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca.

“It’s to cover the typical increase in cost that our agency faces in operating existing services,” Oaxaca said of the price hike.

The increase is scheduled to go into effect July 1, but it could be pushed back 30 days to Aug. 1 because programming of the ticket vending system typically takes 60 days, Oaxaca said.

In another development, Oaxaca said passengers will continue to be able to use their Metrolink tickets to transfer for free to 20 other transit operators, such as the MTA, through June of next year.

The decision rejects an earlier proposal that would have required passengers to foot part of the cost of the transfers. Metrolink will cover 85% of the cost; and the MTA the remaining 15%, Oaxaca said.

--- Ann M. Simmons

Comments

[Robert Arkow]

Here are some interesting facts.....

Labor costs have probably risen about 3%.

Fuel has dropped by about 40%

What Metrolink won’t admit is that their LIABILITY expenses have gone through the roof, due to the Metrolink Board of Directors incompetence.

For example, I understand that the accident in Burbank, you remember – the one where the nutcase parked a car on the tracks, may have been partially Metrolink’s fault.

According to the attorneys that represent the plaintiffs in that crash, the Metrolink engineer did not apply the emergency brake until the last minute. The attorney claims that had he followed Metrolink rules, and applied the emergency brake when he saw the obstacle, the train would not have hit the car.

How many dollars will Metrolink pay for that one? Eleven people died in the accident. Is the engineer still employed? I suspect so. Firing him would be admitting liability in the accident. Better to keep an unsafe operator than pay for his mistakes.

More dollars spent, and let’s not even talk about the Chatsworth crash! How many dollars will that cost us?

And Metrolink just settled with Denise Tyrrell, their former spokesperson for $135,000. Naturally the agreement requires Tyrrell not to say anything bad about Metrolink or its Board of Directors. Hush money? You decide--after all, your taxes and fare monies paid for the agreement that requires Tyrrell not to reveal what really happened.

We have to pay because they choose not to police their contractors as well. Metrolink knows of “problem employees” even now that they have and that the contractors have. Yet Metrolink fails to take any action.

As long as the situation continues, we will continue to pay and pay. We need to do a clean sweep of the Board, and the powers that appoint board members should be required to appoint people who have been regular passengers for at least a year.

But that will never happen. Why do you think that the Metrolink Board of Directors voted to spend your tax money to take legal action to shut down the http://www.Metrolinkrider.com web site? It is estimated that Metrolink spent $20,000 to $30,000 in legal fees, filing fees, and other expenses to try to shut down that web site.

Despite the efforts of their lawyers, they lost the case.

Now was that a prudent use of our tax and fare monies?

I am opposed to giving them any increase, especially when they use it to cover up the Board’s transgressions and blatant and obvious attempts to stifle free speech.

Want to save money? Start by dumping the Metrolink board.

Is this any way to run a railroad?

Robert Arkow
Webmaster and passenger
http://www.metrolinkrider.com
bob@metrolinkrider.com