Ferry riders should pay more. (Edmonds: 2009, subsidized, to live)

[70Ford]

Ferry Consultant Calls for Bigger Fare Increases Over Next 5 Years : Transportation : Kitsap Sun

A consultant has recommended raising fares by 6 percent in each of the next five years to pay for all of Washington State Ferries' operating costs.
Cross-Sound rates have already jumped about 80 percent since 2000. The proposal by Cambridge Systematics would bump that to 140 percent.

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Glad I don't ride the ferry much.

What? I smoke and drink (The good stuff..oh yeah!) . I pay my fair share....but man, I enjoy my fair share. Heh. A lot of these people are just going to work. Poor, poor working stiffs. Paying more just to go to work. That just sounds weird.

I

[Ira500]

It's odd how the ferries are treated. Public transit is subsidized by the taxpayers. Metro Transit's farebox revenues cover less than 25% of the operating costs.( 25% is the goal)
The ferries? Fares cover something like 75% of the operating costs, and the Bainbridge and Edmonds ferries fares cover over 100% of the operating costs.
Why is it considered fine to subsidize bus riders but not ferry riders?

[fy10fyr]

Originally Posted by Ira500

Why is it considered fine to subsidize bus riders but not ferry riders?

Why?
I think it's a mindset that bus riders are "normal" and people that ride the ferries are somehow "elitist". I don't agree, but I think there's that perception.

People on the bus are making an effort to reduce gridlock, counter global warming, reduce their carbon footprint, and help free us from our addiction to foreign oil.

Those evil ferry-riders are just a bunch of spoiled rich folks, who chose to live on an island or the pennisula, and want to drive their SUV onto the ferry, where they can sip their latte' while taking a nice little boat ride at taxpayer expense. Ba$t@rds.