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Old 03-26-2013, 03:07 PM
 
Location: San Diego, California Republic
16,588 posts, read 27,387,426 times
Reputation: 9059

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Quote:
Originally Posted by DocGoldstein View Post
I agree, service is fairly reliable, but once in a while (I'd say 5-10% of the time, I'll be on the train stuck on the tracks, or waiting for a late train).

My biggest problem is the infrastructure. BART is old, and even with the seat improvements (no more green cushions), and floor improvements, I still think it's amazingly loud compared to many rail systems I've been on.

Also, losing cell phone or 4G connection under the tube is annoying. In Tokyo you can have wifi internet 100 feet underground while on the train. Why not here?
When's the last time you've been on BART? Green seat cushions? The replaced those long time ago with blue ones which are now being phased out with vinyl ones. Maybe there's a car or two left with some green ones but there's no way they would have lasted that long. Mine and everyone around me gets service in the tube. You have to log into WiFi Rail.
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Old 03-26-2013, 03:10 PM
 
Location: Lafayette, CA
2,518 posts, read 4,010,612 times
Reputation: 624
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gentoo View Post
When's the last time you've been on BART? Green seat cushions? The replaced those long time ago with blue ones which are now being phased out with vinyl ones.
I never said they were on now. Did you even read my post? I can't seriously respond to you if you're not even going to read my post.

Also Wifi Rail isn't free. I'm not going to pay $10 a day to use internet that's available for free on other rail systems.
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Old 03-26-2013, 04:14 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,210 posts, read 107,883,295 times
Reputation: 116153
It wouldn't kill people to not use their gadgets for the 10 minutes the train is in the tube. And who cares about green cushions? Why the fuss about cushion color?? At least the seats are upholstered, and not hard plastic. I wonder why they're switching to vinyl?

Who approved these high salaries? Is there corruption or bias in whatever agency is overseeing BART? If BART salaries are so out-of-whack compared to industry standards, why isn't the media investigating and reporting on this? And bear in mind that if 47 people are getting salaries at 200,000+, that means 47 people who are going to retire with bloated pensions, while the next generation of managers walks into those 47 high-salaried jobs. So that'll be 94 people to pay an exaggerated monthly income to.
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Old 03-26-2013, 04:34 PM
 
6,802 posts, read 6,714,500 times
Reputation: 1911
Quote:
Originally Posted by DocGoldstein View Post
Well I do know that a Foreworker, while a good mid-level position, should only be making around $70,000-$80,000.

LA MTA only has FIVE positions making over $200,000; , Sr Vice President of Marketing, Sr Vice President Operations, Executive Vice President, and President & Chief Exec Officer.

I just checked Houston's Metro Authority, they only have THREE making over $200,000 (top management I'm guessing).

BART has 47.
What's the COLA difference between Houston and Bay Area, Doc?
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Old 03-26-2013, 04:37 PM
 
Location: Lafayette, CA
2,518 posts, read 4,010,612 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
It wouldn't kill people to not use their gadgets for the 10 minutes the train is in the tube. And who cares about green cushions? Why the fuss about cushion color?? At least the seats are upholstered, and not hard plastic. I wonder why they're switching to vinyl?
When you get on the train any time during the rush home, during the Summer, the entire train smells like ass because of the cushion seats. I prefer the hard plastic to be honest.

Quote:
Who approved these high salaries? Is there corruption or bias in whatever agency is overseeing BART? If BART salaries are so out-of-whack compared to industry standards, why isn't the media investigating and reporting on this? And bear in mind that if 47 people are getting salaries at 200,000+, that means 47 people who are going to retire with bloated pensions, while the next generation of managers walks into those 47 high-salaried jobs. So that'll be 94 people to pay an exaggerated monthly income to.
I agree. The pensions that BART is going to pay those 47 people is going to be an anchor on TAX PAYERS. Here's another thing, the average BART employee makes nearly $120,000 a year, so train operators making $118,000 is actually slightly below average.

No wonder Mehserle was so broken down about not being allowed to be a BART cop after murdering Oscar Grant.

BART has been under investigation actually for bloated salaries and general mismanagement. There's actually a website dedicated to BART's wasteful spending:

http://afscme.publishpath.com/

A scary fact: BART executives charged $6.8 million onto their BART company credit cards in 2008. That number grew in 2009. WTF are these people buying on tax payer money that their credit card debt gets that high?
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Old 03-26-2013, 04:57 PM
 
Location: Lafayette, CA
2,518 posts, read 4,010,612 times
Reputation: 624
Quote:
Originally Posted by Senno View Post
What's the COLA difference between Houston and Bay Area, Doc?
The difference between Houston and Bay Area is pretty large. Mostly due to housing cost.

But then how do you explain the huge difference between LA MTA and BART?

Just a cursory comparison shows that when you compare Oakland and L.A:

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Los Angelenos actually suffer more from higher living cost than Oaklanders (again, housing being a big modifier).

A salary of $50,000 in Oakland, California should increase to $53,107 in Los Angeles, California

Cost of Living Indexes Oakland Los Angeles
Overall 135 144
Food 115 110
Housing 194 235
Utilities 92 115
Transportation 112 112
Health 111 111
Miscellaneous 118 103

Last edited by Yac; 04-09-2013 at 06:04 AM..
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Old 03-26-2013, 05:02 PM
 
6,802 posts, read 6,714,500 times
Reputation: 1911
Doc, not everyone that works for BART lives in Oakland...

I explain the difference in salaries in economics terms basically. Supply meets demand. If they want to hire qualified individuals to run BART in an otherwise expensive area, they have to pay more.

If there's fraud involved, please check the Bell thread down in CA general. Are you alleging anything like that is occuring?
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Old 03-26-2013, 05:06 PM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
18,982 posts, read 32,651,109 times
Reputation: 13635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth View Post
It wouldn't kill people to not use their gadgets for the 10 minutes the train is in the tube. And who cares about green cushions? Why the fuss about cushion color?? At least the seats are upholstered, and not hard plastic. I wonder why they're switching to vinyl?
You don't lose service in the Tube, it's too loud to talk but texting, internet, etc..all still work in the transbay tube so I have no idea what people are talking about losing coverage, maybe they don't actually live here or take BART.

Also there has never been green BART cushions, they were brown and now they are blue. Again, not sure why anyone would think that unless they have never lived here.

Vinyl is easy to keep clean, I like them and try to go in the cars with them.
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Old 03-26-2013, 05:21 PM
 
Location: State of Transition
102,210 posts, read 107,883,295 times
Reputation: 116153
Quote:
Originally Posted by sav858 View Post
You don't lose service in the Tube,..., internet, etc..all still work in the transbay tube so I have no idea what people are talking about losing coverage, maybe they don't actually live here or take BART.

Also there has never been green BART cushions, they were brown and now they are blue. Again, not sure why anyone would think that unless they have never lived here.
This is pretty funny. Thx for posting. I think I vaguely recall green cushions, though. But it was a long time ago. I think there are bigger issues to launch a crusade about, than cushion color, though.
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Old 03-26-2013, 05:21 PM
 
6,802 posts, read 6,714,500 times
Reputation: 1911
Hey, Doc. I'm feeling you have a little internal inconsistency here. You say you can't recommend that anyone live in Oakland, yet you point out that BART employees should be paid just enough to live in Oakland? What's up with that?

Don't you think BART employees should be able to live somewhere you would recommend?

Why'd you key in on Oakland COLA? Why not the Bay Area as a whole, or the areas where BART head offices are located or something? Oakland ain't particularly the whole story BARTwise, now is it...

Hey Doc. Do ya think anyone would work for BART if they had to live in Los Banos cause they didn't pay for shinola? How low should the salaries be do ya think?
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