Quote:
Originally Posted by VivaLFuego
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The budget is well-prepared. Fewest typos I've seen in a CTA document in a while.
A few comments and questions:
1) LA's bus costs are the best in the nation, by a wide margin - why is that?
2) Looking at the CTA's rail costs, we have the lowest per-car and per-mile costs, but among the highest per-passenger costs. This tell me two things:
a) The CTA would greatly benefit from distance or zone-based fares. This only makes sense considering how long our lines are (and getting longer) compared to most cities.
b) The City REALLY needs to bolster TOD-friendly zoning. When your per-miles costs are low and your per-rider costs are high, it's because you're moving a lot fewer people - the best way to move more people, is to put more people by the train, which is what TOD-friendly zoning will do.
c) A bonus third thing as a comment: If zone-based fares were implemented, I bet the focus of new rail would shift overnight from extending outer lines to building inner lines, which is really the most sensible thing for the city to be doing anyway. Win-win - more revenue and better, more rational focus.
3) Unions at many other companies have chosen to freeze their salary, or even cut their salary, so that fewer jobs are elimintated. This budget makes a pretty stark case that over 10% of CTA union jobs will be cut, partly due to the drop in sales tax revenue, but also due in part to those who keep their jobs getting pay bumps that are well above average wage increases, well above inflation, and well above cost of living increases. Seems to me spinning a revote on the contract as a way to save their brothers' jobs should be a part of CTA management's strategy.