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Re: SMART's Weekday Ridership is 27% Below Forecast According to SMART's Annual Report
Author: Ken
Date: 03-20-2018 - 11:25
Since you asked, SMART misleads the public about everything. Backers did that 10 years ago in order to garner a 2/3 vote required to pass Measure Q (sales tax measure).
The place is run by a GM who has difficulty telling the truth. He does this by leaving out essential pieces of information, like he has about ridership. And their CFO is a participant in the cover-up in the way she presents their financials. But, then , no one on the Board ever asks any questions, so why should she?
The politicians on the Board are very worried about a rebellion in northern Sonoma Co. How long are people in Cloverdale going to believe a "train is coming?" (My guess: 2032).
So, the train was promoted to run 70 miles. They've built 43 miles. They blame the Great Recession. That is a lie. It was because they never could afford to build 70 miles and were told so by Parson-Brinckerhoff in 2005.
Politicians sold SMART to the public as addressing congestion. (Remember the videos of
traffic that SMART was going to reduce?) It hasn't and it won't. Ridership is far too paltry.
They told the voters it would begin service in 2014. They began in late August 2017.
No one anymore thinks SMART does anything for congestion. However, those living in San Rafael think it will make it far worse once the train crosses 2nd/3rd streets on the way to Larkspur.
For the 1,000 or so people a day that find the rail convenient the train is a real benefit. So, roughly 700,000 are subsidizing 1,000 to receive this benefit.
$40 million will be required to move a regional bus transit center in San Rafael, inconveniencing about 9,000 bus transit users a day and San Rafael residents. And for what? So, SMART can address the pseudo connectivity to the ferry. How many will use the train for the last link? SMART's models suggested about 125 riders/weekday. We'll see.
Was it worth the now approaching $50MM to extend the ferry?
But SMART's real Achilles heel is their financials. This agency is highly levered due to the bonds and a recession (or sale tax revenue decline caused by the fires) will really hurt them. What happens then will depend on how deep the recession is. But, for sure, they'll be holding their hat out for more taxpayer dollars.
The place is run by a GM who has difficulty telling the truth. He does this by leaving out essential pieces of information, like he has about ridership. And their CFO is a participant in the cover-up in the way she presents their financials. But, then , no one on the Board ever asks any questions, so why should she?
The politicians on the Board are very worried about a rebellion in northern Sonoma Co. How long are people in Cloverdale going to believe a "train is coming?" (My guess: 2032).
So, the train was promoted to run 70 miles. They've built 43 miles. They blame the Great Recession. That is a lie. It was because they never could afford to build 70 miles and were told so by Parson-Brinckerhoff in 2005.
Politicians sold SMART to the public as addressing congestion. (Remember the videos of
traffic that SMART was going to reduce?) It hasn't and it won't. Ridership is far too paltry.
They told the voters it would begin service in 2014. They began in late August 2017.
No one anymore thinks SMART does anything for congestion. However, those living in San Rafael think it will make it far worse once the train crosses 2nd/3rd streets on the way to Larkspur.
For the 1,000 or so people a day that find the rail convenient the train is a real benefit. So, roughly 700,000 are subsidizing 1,000 to receive this benefit.
$40 million will be required to move a regional bus transit center in San Rafael, inconveniencing about 9,000 bus transit users a day and San Rafael residents. And for what? So, SMART can address the pseudo connectivity to the ferry. How many will use the train for the last link? SMART's models suggested about 125 riders/weekday. We'll see.
Was it worth the now approaching $50MM to extend the ferry?
But SMART's real Achilles heel is their financials. This agency is highly levered due to the bonds and a recession (or sale tax revenue decline caused by the fires) will really hurt them. What happens then will depend on how deep the recession is. But, for sure, they'll be holding their hat out for more taxpayer dollars.
