In case you haven't noticed, gas prices are up almost $0.40/gallon over this time last year. And it's possible that they will reach the same level as the summer of 2008.
If you remember back to that summer, people turned to the bus in record numbers. And then in September the collapse of sales tax meant that right when people needed transit the most, Pierce Transit had to cut service.
If we don't pass the sales tax for Pierce Transit in two weeks, we might be looking at the same scenario only much, much worse. Gas prices will be near record highs, and the number of routes and number of bus hours will be even lower.
So even if you don't ride the bus right now, consider …
… that if gas is at $4.35/gallon again, it might start to look like a much more attractive option.
… that high gas prices hold down home values in suburban communities, because buyers, especially first-time home buyers, are more likely to choose homes closer to job centers, or near transit that has easy access to job centers.
…that 48,000 people use it daily, and with limited bus service, putting them back onto the roads (even if they could afford it, which is a whole other issue) is going to congest our streets even more.
I want to add that I really don't like increasing our sales tax–I think sales tax in general is regressive, and ours is already high. But that's an issue we need to work out at the state level first. Locally, I believe we need a strong transit service to connect our community, and that trumps my concern about sales tax.
48,000 rides does not equate to 48,000 people if your commute includes a transfer each way it shows up as 4 rides. Maybe with ORCA passes they can keep better ridership stats.
Interesting, operating expenses are $121 million, $331,000/day or about $7/ride according to your ridership stats. Not sure how meaningful that is, or accurate given ridership counts. But the scare tactic from Pierce Transit won’t likely work, the rural areas they need to pass the levy probably won’t, even if they are the areas cut. For rural areas densities don’t encourage or support transit.
Sales taxes have many issues, regressivity and fluctuations to the economy and spending habits among them, probably not the best source of revenue for transit and the mood is sour for a tax hike. I’m undecided on how I will vote also.
Please note that there is also over 1,250 shuttle trips a day. That is about 450,000 shuttle trips a year. So you need to parse those into your number crunching. Probably should account for capital projects, replacement of capital as well.
Also, 50% of riders of pierce transit earn a combined household income of $20,000 or less. Not to mention thousands of Tacoma and other public school student use PT to ride to and from school daily. If service was lost there, the school districts, already strapped for cash, would be forced into providing students with transpiration (federal mandate) forcing schools to buy buses, train and pay for bus drivers.
Gig Harbor alone is seeing double digit ridership growth year over year. 15 Million boardings a year on average for over all general ridership. Finally, on to the gas price. In 2008 when gas prices breached 4.00 a gallon ridership at one pointed grew at 17% with an average of 13% year over year.