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Re: What Were They Thinking?
Author: synonymouse
Date: 01-27-2009 - 14:10
The interesting part will come when someone has to apply a cost-benefit analysis to both NCRA-NWP and SMART because they are short of money and need a further subsidy to continue operating. There will be a great feuding and fussing.
SMART in particular will have a difficult case to make before the MTC. It will be sitting down at the MTC table across from the 800 lb. gorilla which is BART. SMART will speak of the hundreds of passengers it will serve on a daily basis whereas BART will remind the MTC of the hundreds of thousands of passengers that it does carry daily. Of course SMART will get some money initially because it is a pilot project, the first and only new doodlebugs in the Bay Area. Once the passenger counts come in, tho, SMART's conceptual failings will be all too obvious.
Remember SMART will also have to compete for operating subsidies with both Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma County Transit, which offer much more service at a lower cost.
SMART in particular will have a difficult case to make before the MTC. It will be sitting down at the MTC table across from the 800 lb. gorilla which is BART. SMART will speak of the hundreds of passengers it will serve on a daily basis whereas BART will remind the MTC of the hundreds of thousands of passengers that it does carry daily. Of course SMART will get some money initially because it is a pilot project, the first and only new doodlebugs in the Bay Area. Once the passenger counts come in, tho, SMART's conceptual failings will be all too obvious.
Remember SMART will also have to compete for operating subsidies with both Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma County Transit, which offer much more service at a lower cost.
