Re: Too many "Transit Authorities"?
Author: Max Wyss
Date: 05-14-2019 - 02:08
The principle of a Verkehrsverbund is that it has the authority over service levels (aka schedules) and fares. What it does not do, is operating vehicles. The operators are following contracts for specific lines or networks. For low-infrastructure networks, the operating contracts are awarded after bids, but the requirements are rather strict.
Farebox revenues are handed to the Verkehrsverbund, which acts as clearing center to pay the contractors (usually topped up with funds from the towns etc.).
The current implementations of a Verkehrsverbund have zone fares, where you buy "the right to use the system in a given geographical area for a specified time", no matter who the operator is.
For California, one single agency would not be the best. But I could imagine "greater Bay area" and "greater Los Angeles area", maybe "greater San Diego area", and "Central Valley area".