Haretip wrote:I am not suggesting that future streetcar plans follow the MATA example, but I guarantee you that farebox recovery rates will not pay for the equipment and staff to operate high-frequency service with modern cars. You have to secure additional funding commitments and I personally do not know where you would get that. Also keep in mind that there are no modern cars being built today that can fit on the northeast of Bowen Street.
I would be curious to see the cost per rider stats for MATA. Perhaps I'll ask the COO next time I see him.
Farebox recovery doesn't pay full operating expenses almost anywhere in the world outside of Asia. In the US, it tops out at 75% for BART (Bay Area). Currently, the MATA's farebox recovery is 0%.
It wouldn't need to be super high-frequency service to be more useful, just enough to reduce headways to like 10 min. It's going to require operating subsidies either way.. wouldn't you rather the subsidy go towards making the system run well instead of going towards making the system run at a bare-bones level?