Sunrail ridership Up, Looks like an Epic Success!! (Orlando, Holiday: sales, neighborhood)

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

People talking crazyness like 0 passengersand thinking the maglev ispart of phase 2 lol but yet I, a 3 to 4 times per week SunRail rider doesn't know what they're talking about, yeah ok.

I bet most of these critics have never even been on it. They are content with narrow mindedness and after 1 year are ready to close up shop. Yet I'm the one who's off base for creating a thread to be an alternate to the negative one with outdated data.

You are the exception, not the rule.
For anyone riding SunRail, it's great. Sure. They did an excellent implementation of rail cars and service and price.

The return on the investment is nil.
3000 riders means roughly what.... 3000 cars off the road a day- with tens of thousands of cars necessitating stopping at rail crossings.

For every 2 dollar ride you take, taxpayers are coughing up the other 8.

The majority of us 'naysayers' were against implementation in the first place. It was never a 'wait and see' because everyone was certain it could not be successful in its original iteration.

I do believe SunRail may serve a greater purpose 15-20 years down the line.
However, a better built rail today would do the same thing and then some.

The cheerleaders for SunRail somehow think this thing just fell out of the sky, and if we wish for it and support it- it will be there. The thing is, it costs money that could be better used to service MORE people per day.

[everythingatall]

Originally Posted by WithDisp

You are the exception, not the rule.
For anyone riding SunRail, it's great. Sure. They did an excellent implementation of rail cars and service and price.

The return on the investment is nil.
3000 riders means roughly what.... 3000 cars off the road a day- with tens of thousands of cars necessitating stopping at rail crossings.

For every 2 dollar ride you take, taxpayers are coughing up the other 8.

The majority of us 'naysayers' were against implementation in the first place. It was never a 'wait and see' because everyone was certain it could not be successful in its original iteration.

I do believe SunRail may serve a greater purpose 15-20 years down the line.
However, a better built rail today would do the same thing and then some.

The cheerleaders for SunRail somehow think this thing just fell out of the sky, and if we wish for it and support it- it will be there. The thing is, it costs money that could be better used to service MORE people per day.

but this is the reality for ever single passenger rail line in America. None make money. All are heavily subsidized. The point of rail lines is not to make money. The purpose is to carry passengers.

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

but this is the reality for ever single passenger rail line in America. None make money. All are heavily subsidized. The point of rail lines is not to make money. The purpose is to carry passengers.

The need of carrying passengers has to outweigh the costs.

Some systems see millions of passengers and recover 50% of costs.
Some lines see tens of millions and recover 75%.
Some lines see hundreds of thousands and recover 15%.

I could build a rail across half of Montana for billions and recover 1% in fares and move thousands of a people a year... but it wouldn't be a good idea.

At some point, you need to decide what the cutoff is to operate something like public transit.

[everythingatall]

Originally Posted by WithDisp

The need of carrying passengers has to outweigh the costs.

Some systems see millions of passengers and recover 50% of costs.
Some lines see tens of millions and recover 75%.
Some lines see hundreds of thousands and recover 15%.

I could build a rail across half of Montana for billions and recover 1% in fares and move thousands of a people a year... but it wouldn't be a good idea.

At some point, you need to decide what the cutoff is to operate something like public transit.

Lucky for all the millions of people who depend upon public transit every single day, you don't get to decide when it's worth and when it's not. Your view and the views of so many others on this thread are very, very shortsighted. Public transportation is good for people. It's good for the environment. It's good for society at large.

[WithDisp]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

Lucky for all the millions of people who depend upon public transit every single day, you don't get to decide when it's worth and when it's not. Your view and the views of so many others on this thread are very, very shortsighted. Public transportation is good for people. It's good for the environment. It's good for society at large.

Millions of people don't take Sunrail every day.
Tens of thousands don't even take Sunrail every day.

Should we run a new railroad line for 5 people? Would that be in the Orlando Metro's best interest.

Please. All these support threads are a complete joke.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by JMatl

. This is a success, despite the naysayers. .

Success is measured in $$$$ whats the numbers for this commuter rail system to date.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

but this is the reality for ever single passenger rail line in America. None make money. All are heavily subsidized. The point of rail lines is not to make money. The purpose is to carry passengers.

Actually that's not true. The Northeast Corridor, California and Chicagoland Amtrak routes are profitable and would show positive numbers if not factored in with the rest of Amtrak's nationwide operations. In fiscal year 2013, Amtrak covered 85% of it's operating costs despite GOP congressional leadership success in slashing their budget year after year.

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by everythingatall

Lucky for all the millions of people who depend upon public transit every single day, you don't get to decide when it's worth and when it's not. Your view and the views of so many others on this thread are very, very shortsighted. Public transportation is good for people. It's good for the environment. It's good for society at large.

That's right, it's great in areas where millions, hundreds of thousands, or tens of thousands depend upon on it every day. However 4000 riders a day in an area with a metro population of 2.1 million equates out to .002% of the population utilizing it...yep, two one thousandth. Those kind of numbers for a one billion dollar investment are not okay by any way shape or form, and certainly no where near mention of "epic success" unless completely delusional.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

If one really thinks that Central Florida commuters are willing to either take a bus to a station from home/nearby, or drive to a station that it isn't especially convenient from home, deboard a train likely not close to work and take another bus to their destination with let's not forget a fair bit of walking involved (in work attire, during our seven month summer) in order to save 15-20 minutes of additional driving time...you're completely delusional.

Well said Kyle, you have nailed the reason this rail line will continue to be a major flop.
Unless one lives next to a station and works next to another station the vast majority of commuters will just jump in their cars and go to work.

[Last1Out]

Yeah, right. "We lose a little on every ticket but make it up in volume." The mantra of socialists who would happily steal every nickel out of their neighbor's pocket for their utopian mendacity.