Why is fare for the metrolink trains expensive?

Question

i calculated that in order to get to my destination from San Bernardino to Pomona it will cost me $25 round trip every day, now even with the high gas prices, it is cheaper to drive to pomona every day since my calculated cost for using my car is $10 per round trip every day. so why does it cost more to ride public transit in ca

Answer 1

It's a constant problem for commuter and passenger rail managers to bring in enough money to keep operating.

To be affordable, the lines have to be partially funded by public money, just like city buses do.

If the cost is too high, your only recourse is make a lot of noise, along with all other riders to the people in charge and hope thy can get better funding for the systems.

In this day and age, it is one of the best investments any community can make in itself.  

Answer 2

There is absolutely no way you can drive from SB to Pomona for $10 a day.  All you are thinking of is the cost of gas.  The actual cost of driving is much higher, and includes maintenance, wear and tear on your car, and other things.  Gas is only an insignificant portion of the cost of driving.

The AAA's current cost-of-driving estimate for a sedan is 54 cents per mile.  Use that as an average and you will get a better idea of what you are actually paying to drive your car.

Answer 3

From what I can see on the metrolink website there are also 10-trip and monthly tickets.

The 10-trip-ticket costs $65.50 (=$13.10 per round trip), the monthly ticket is $206.75 (~$9.65 per round trip 22 days/month).

Answer 4

You put your finger on one of the major reasons why most people prefer to drive, even when it's more relaxing to take public transportation.  Even with government subsidies, the cost of operating a complex train system results in ticket prices that usually are higher than the cost of driving.  Of course, the price of gas has been going up faster than the cost of train tickets, so the balance may change in the coming years.

Think about it--the campaigns urging people to use public transporation rarely if ever talk about saving money.  

Most people who chose to use public transportation don't do so in order to save money (as your calculations reveal).  They do so for convenience, for safety, for avoiding the hassles of driving, for elimination of parking problems and costs, and similar "life style" reasons--oh, and for the knowledge that they're helping, at least in a small way, to reducing air pollution, the need to import oil from overseas,  and the using up of our own US petroleum resources.