Sports Shuttle Scuttled?
You know the dozens of Metro buses that sit outside Husky Stadium and Safeco Field after the games? The ones that decrease traffic by providing other transit options? Well, the Bush Administration doesn't like them, because they're taxpayer-supported, and therefore make it hard for private bus companies to compete for the business.
It should come as no surprise that the FTA wants to terminate this arrangement: it makes government look too good! If people see government doing good things, they might -- God forbid -- want more government!
Oh, and remind me never, ever to book Starline Luxury Coaches for anything:
Gladys Gillis, head of Starline Luxury Coaches who was on the rules committee for the new law, said her company is eager to bid on many of the shuttle operations, such as the Mariner games and the Flower and Garden Show.
She cheered the new rules. "Agencies supported by tax dollars could drive private businesses out of business," she said. "It's always been illegal for tax-funded agencies to compete with private business, but there's been gray areas. This will give us an opportunity to do the work."
She also said that the 55 buses in her fleet are cheaper to operate than Metro buses because she doesn't pay union wages to her drivers.
Knife a public agency in the back, and get some union-busting thrown in as a bonus! It's a Republican double-whammy.
- Frank's blog
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Here's some more reporting on the new rule:
"The Indianapolis 500. The Kentucky Derby. The US Olympic Track & Field Trials. The Bucky Bus used for football Sunday’s in Madison, Wisconsin. State Fairs. These are just a few of the hundreds of events that have used public transit buses to ferry people to and from event sites. To comply with the Federal Transit Administration’s new Rule on Charter Service that went into effect April 30, these services must now be opened to private charter bus companies for competitive bidding.
The new FTA Charter Service Rule was created to protect private charter bus companies from competition with federally-subsidized public transit systems. And the competition is steep: Up to 80 percent of public transit agencies’ eligible program costs are subsidized by the federal government."
Because, y'know, what we really need are more non-union drivers who can peel the top off a bus and send a dozen riders to the hospital because they can't read the very clearly posted warnings of limited clearance and maximum heights.
Bush- the worst president ever.
Say, did Congress approve this rule, if so, I wonder if Local 587 was going to endorse Reichert?
Now maybe there is one good thing. What are the procedures Metro does when a bus comes back into the base at night? How long does it take to prepare them for the next service day? On Mariner Game night how many hours do they have to get these buses ready for a peak service in the morning. Metro usually starts dispatching around 3:45AM-4AM.(I overheard a driver on the 7-OWL once telling a passenger he was talking to that the 7 heading for Ranier Beach starting the day, left the garage at just before 4AM). Of course on Weekdays, the 7 has an advantage over some of the suburban routes, don't need diesel, except for the 7X, and the 7-OWL).
Starline said it will be a plus for Metro, saving wear and tear on the buses. I wonder if that spokesperson knows that the FTA basicallly gets to threaten Metro, saying that their will be no bus replacement money coming. To that, I say thanks a lot, Metro usually gets 15 years, or more out of their buses. THe FTA minimum is 12, 25 for an LRV. I have one more question on that front, but I am not going to ask it, as I do not want to give the FTA any bright ideas!