Online Forum, February 10, 2010
Al Harf says, Welcome to today’s online forum with Executive Director Alfred Harf. Today’s forum is dedicated to questions about PRTC’s proposed FY 2011 budget and the proposed fare increase. I will answer as many as I can during this session. Any questions that are not answered during the forum will be answered and distributed by our Rider Express e-mail system, and will also be posted to the end of the forum later on , archived so it remains on PRTC’s web-site for review. (You can sign up by clicking “Register Rider Express” on our homepage.) Questions unrelated to the proposed fare increase may be sent to our Customer Service department at Omni@OmniRide.com. Now, let’s get started!
Jamie from Dumfries asks, I have comments and a question.
1. With regards to the IRS increasing the limits from 120 to 230, you do need to remember that not everyone receives the 230 per month. I work for the state government and they only cover 115 per month at this point in time. I have also been told that even the federal government employees do not necessarily receive the full 230 per month. In other words, I spend 200 per month on commuting in which the state gives me 115. I am now going to have to spend more money out of my own pocket to cover the expense of commuting on your buses.
Al Harf says,
PRTC is mindful of the fact that not all of its riders are fortunate enough to receive the maximum commuter benefit (indeed we know some riders don't receive any benefit). Consequently, the fare increase proposal has been tempered with this awareness in mind. A 9-10% increase is a measured response to this situation, though we know that for some any increase will be a hardship. That's why our estimate of the revenue yield resulting from this fare increase proposal accounts for some anticipated reduction in ridership.
Jamie from Dumfries asks, 2. Since you are increasing fares yet again, is it possible that you could actually increase service on Saturdays? 1 bus running every 1.5 hours is beyond inconvenient. Fairfax County is way better than you guys in terms of providing service and they even have service on Sundays.
The only Saturday service PRTC operates is on its local bus routes on the eastern side of the County. Those routes recover less than 10% of their operating costs meaning the other 90% must be public funding. It is the shortage of public funding that is compelling the budget and fare increase as proposed, so the fare increase does not enable PRTC to expand service be it on Saturday or any other time. The fare increase proposal is one element of a multi-faceted plan aimed at sustaining service.
Anna from Montclair route asks, I can understand that costs increase, but help me understand why fares need to incrase again given that ridership is up yet the number of routes have not increased.
Al Harf says,
Ridership gains do increase revenue, but total revenue from fares amounts to only 34% of the total operating expense. The remainder is public funds, and public funds are scarce. That's why PRTC has proposed an austere budget and fare increase.
Gwen from Lake Ridge asks, What is the revenue hours reserve
Al Harf says,
The revenue hours reserve is a small allowance of additional time to enable schedule changes to be made to compensate for growing traffic congestion. PRTC's operating costs are driven by total revenue hours operated and as traffic congestion grows, the total revenue hours necessary to operate existing service also grows.
Jamie from Dumfries asks, 3. I swear this is the last one...
Why do you provide rides free of charge when you go on ESP? This makes no sense when you're spending the same amount of money & zero revenue is coming through the door. Maybe this is one of the real reasons why you have to keep raising fares???
Al Harf says,
We know that ESP is an inconvenience for customers accustomed to a "one seat ride" to DC and its environs so when we need to invoke ESP for weather reasons, its been our policy to waive fares because we don't want to "add insult to injury" and because we know many customers will have to bear an unplanned MetroRail fare.
Jamie from Dumfries asks, Actually, I do have one more...
4. You need to program the machines to be able to charge the SmartTrip card for a day pass. Yes, I realize that we would still need to have a paper transfer and that's fine. My issue is with the method of payment for the day pass...it is a pain to come up with cash that I normally don't carry since I put my money for travel on my card.
Al Harf says,
We couldn't agree with you more Jamie and you'll be pleased to learn that software changes are in preparation to permit this. We can't do this solo because the SmarTrip card is region-wide, so the software changes involved are more complicated than they may seem and are the responsibility of Metro.
Anna from Montclair asks, Rather than increasing fares, have you looked at ways to reduce costs? For instance, I can't tell you how many buses I see going to and from Dale City that are half full.
Al Harf says,
PRTC’s FY 2011 proposed budget has already been pared in recognition of the recession and funding shortfalls, with:
1. No expansion of services;
2. A minimal number of “contingency” service hours to allow schedule adjustments as necessary to compensate for increased traffic congestion and slower travel times;
3. Limiting purchases of buses to only replacements of existing retirement-age buses;
4. A stretched out schedule for OmniRide bus mid-life overhauls to lessen FY 2011 expenditures; and
5. Delayed implementation of plans for acquisition of a real-time passenger information system if it has t be funded by conventional sources of funds.
Further cuts in PRTC’s proposed FY 2011 budget would necessitate service cuts - either by running service less frequently or eliminating some routes. PRTC already cut 5% of its service hours in May 2009, and with ridership levels as high as they are at present, further cutting is seen as a much more harmful alternative to raising fares.
With regard to "half full" buses, the numbers of riders you'll see on any given bus depends on where you're viewing them. Many riders board at a park-n-ride lot right before the buses enter the HOV lanes.
Mary from Woodbridge asks, Buses are already overcdrowded -- how can you justify a fare increase without adding service?
Al Harf says,
Unfortunately, there’s no further relief in sight for overcrowded buses. PRTC has virtually no money to add additional service hours, and no stand-by buses that can be pressed into service. The reality is that the proposed fare increase will simply enable us to sustain our existing services.
Jamie from Dumfries asks, Actually, I can attest to Anna's comment about the Dale City buses. There has been more than one occasion when I have seen 25 to 50% full DC buses coming into Horner Rd every 5 minutes, literally.
Al Harf says,
Jamie, we do routinely monitor the numbers of passengers relative to the number of seats. At the peak of the rush hour, seats are in short supply on all of our routes. On the "shoulders" of the rush hour, some empty seats will be present, but curtailing such trips would only add to the overcrowding elsewhere. There are also variations from day-to-day because of traffic conditions that sometimes cause buses to run late and end up being "bunched" together.
Tammy from Woodbridge asks, With increase in fare, would we see a increase of operable buses? I'm tired of buses breaking down and wish not to pay more for a ride that may or may not make it to my final destination.
Al Harf says,
As I said in response to Mary's earlier question, the fare increase is to help sustain service not increase it. With regard to buses, we make every effort to ensure that buses are in good working order before they make their way into revenue service (with "pretrip inspections" and regular preventative maintenance procedures) though it's inescapable that mechanical breakdowns sometimes happen after buses enter service. We also routinely track mechanical breakdowns to look for patterns so that extraordinary maintenance efforts can be undertaken. We also urge all customers to inform PRTC via its customer service department when they experience unsatisfactory service so that we can investigate.
Anna from Montclair asks, I realize that. I see the half full buses as they enter or leave DC at Independence (they don't stop at the Pentagon). On the opposite end the Montclair route is routinely close to standing room only or standing room only. It seems PRTC does not keep tabs on ridership per bus as it used to.
Al Harf says,
Rest assured that PRTC does monitor (on a daily basis) ridership vs. seating capacity. As stated before, empty seats are usually a consequence of either scheduled trips outside the peak or unusual traffic conditions. PRTC will continue its monitoring efforts with the aim of ensuring that available seats are being properly deployed.
Tom Fitzpatrick from Woodbridge asks, Why do PWC residents pay taxes to subsidize each and every ride taken by non-County residents who repeatedly reject participating in (paying) or starting their own commuter bus service? Why does not PRTC do something? This is a public service, not an empire building exercise. If residents South of PWC rode on their own buses, or buses they paid for in our system from there, the clogged up commuter lots and I-95 would be relieved.
Fed up,
Tom Fitzpatrick
Al Harf says,
PWC accounts for approximately 90% of all PRTC's bus ridership. Other PRTC member jurisdictions exercise their own discretion about whether to sponsor commuter bus service; that's not something PRTC can compel.
John from Lake Ridge asks, What exactly are the fare increases that you are proposing.
Al Harf says,
John, you'll find the fare increase proposals in the powerpoint presentation posted to PRTC's website (see the notice on the home page). In general terms, the fare increase amounts to approximately 9-10% and would be effective July 1, 2010.
Stacey from Dale City asks, The problem I have is My agency and DOD has already stated that even with metro going up and PRTC "trying" to go up on fares that they will not cover the difference which i feel is not fair. I catch the Capitol Hill bus which as you know only runs once in the morning and once in the evening. Will you all increase the number of trips for that route? Its not fair to pay more and get little service for my trip when you don't even give a vary of times to catch that bus. I have to schedule my work time around that bus just to get home at a decent time and just 7:15pm is not a decent time.
Al Harf says,
The amount of service that we schedule is a function of demand and available funding. As much as we would like to operate additional service on the Capitol Hill route, the sad truth is the existing service is not overcrowded and we don't have the resources to add more. Again, the fare increase is to help sustain the service not increase it.
Josh from Lake Ridge asks, As a Lake Ridge commuter, I also have an impression that there are many more Dale City busses than Lake Ridge busses (often 2 Dale City busses pass me on 14th street in a row), and from other comments it seems that many are underutilitized. The late evening busses have combined Lake Ridge/Dale City service, and Dale City riders transfer to another bus at the 123 lot. Have you explored or can you explore whether the busses would be better utilitized if this pattern was used for more runs? Then you would not have LR riders waiting while free Dale City seats travel 95.
Al Harf says,
At certain times of the rush hour, there are more Dale City buses than Lake Ridge buses. This is driven by passenger ridership. The combined routing was conceived for late night service when ridership levels are insufficient to justify dedicated service to each of the communities. To operate service on a "combined routing" basis in the peak period would not yield savings because at those times, the ridership levels warrant dedicated service to each community.
Stacey from Dale City asks, The worst part about the Capitol Hill bus is it NEVER get to the last stop at the time designated on its schedule. It is always 15 minutes or more late. So I don't understand how the fare increase is suppose to help me if it is hurting me? I have to start paying the difference now because my agency won't cover the full amount.
Al Harf says,
Thanks for bringing this concern to our attention. We will investigate it further. In order for us to communicate what we learn from our factfinding, we'll need to know how to get in touch with you and to that end please contact Customer Service at 703-730-6664 or by email at omni@omniride.com.
Al Harf says, Thanks to everyone who participated in PRTC’s online forum today. I hope you found it informative and that you’ll join us again for future forums. A transcript of today’s discussion will be posted on this page so you can refer back to it as needed. Unanswered questions will be answered and distributed through the Rider Express email service and posted to the PRTC web-site on an archived basis as described earlier. (You can sign up by clicking “Register Rider Express” on our homepage.) Thanks again, and have a wonderful afternoon.
Due to the forecasted snow storm, the public hearings scheduled for Wednesday, February 10 and Thursday, February 11, have been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 17 and Thursday, February 25. See notice on homepage for details.
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