Idea: Bikeshare/Metro discounted transfers

[PotomacCyclist]

As for Metro rejecting the plan, well, both Metro and CaBi are funded/owned by the same groups, namely the local governments. There were problems with CaBi placing bike stations on Metro property, but that could have been due to exaggerated fears about bike stations interfering with bus or pedestrian traffic flows and safety around Metro stations. (I’m not saying those fears were reasonable, just that those attitudes might have led to all the delays and obstacles.) Or some of it was due to protecting Metro turf from the intrusion of the new Capital Bikeshare program.

There would be no physical transfer or use of Metro property with the discounted transfer program. It’s all software. (None of those paper transfer tickets like they used to use. Actually, some of the local bus systems still use paper transfers or tickets. I used one in Prince George’s County this past winter.)

Perhaps there has been reluctance to cooperate with CaBi because of concerns about CaBi eroding Metro revenue. I’ll admit that CaBi does appear to have had at least a small negative effect on Metro revenue. But a CaBi/Metro transfer program would not increase the decline of Metro revenue. It could encourage more people to use Metro, and perhaps it could encourage more people to sign up for the new monthly passes. Again, I do not think the CaBi/Metro transfer idea on its own would bring tens of millions of dollars into Metro coffers. But it doesn’t have to. Until someone tells me differently, I have to assume that this idea would cost much less than most Metro programs and additions. Nothing would need to be built. No new equipment would need to be designed or purchased whatsoever. No revolutionary leaps in software programming would need to be made, because these electronic transfers have already been built into the existing system. It’s already set up to detect the time gaps between leaving a Metro station or bus and entering a bus or Metro station, and then deducting the transfer discount automatically.

Likewise, the CaBi account system is already set up to detect and record fairly precise information. If you login to the CaBi site, you can see the precise times that you check out or check in a bike. You can see the bike stations used. (The distances for the trips are not accurately, because the system only measures the straight-line distance between stations, not the distance of the actual route taken.)

It would take some programming to link the CaBi system and the SmarTrip system. I’m not a programmer so I don’t know how complicated this would be. But I do know that all the precise info required for this idea is already being recorded and tracked for SmarTrip and CaBi today. The systems wouldn’t need to be overhauled.

I understand that whenever you try to fiddle around with a complicated network or software system, bugs arise. Maybe this idea would introduce too many bugs. But it seems that the software people should be able to work it out, since Metro is already running an electronic automated transfer discount system.

[mstone]

@PotomacCyclist 137628 wrote:

DISCUSSION is exactly the entire POINT of having this forum in the first place

You’re not interested in discussion. You just posted 3 (!) more walls of text that basically disregarded what anyone else on the thread said, reiterated your original idea at length and without change, and explained your requirements for “legitimate” conversation (which, for anyone else, can’t be “I think this so it must be true”, it has to be extensively footnoted and preferably something you want to hear). That’s not a discussion, it’s a pronouncement.

[PotomacCyclist]

Then don’t read. I already invited you to put me on ignore.

I did look at some of the other posts. Metro has considered moving to a new payment system, but I doubt that will happen in the foreseeable future. (Skip the rest of this post if you don’t want to read more than two sentences.)

Metro has been running a pilot program for the alternate payment system. Those are the silver gates present at many/most stations. The problem is that very few people have signed up for the pilot. Another problem is that even if a lot of people signed up, overhauling the payment/entry system would be very expensive. That would be a major capital project. As others have noted, Metro probably shouldn’t be focused on a major capital project at this time. THAT is why I posted about keeping the standard CaBi keys and SmarTrip cards already in use today.

[PotomacCyclist]

Switching CaBi to SmarTrip would also be very expensive, requiring modifications or replacement of every CaBi kiosk. Unless an independent donor funds such a program, I don’t see how that would happen. You can claim that I’m making pronouncements, but this is based on the financial realities of CaBi and Metro. If a new kiosk were designed to use SmarTrip cards (or smartphones/chip cards), those could be added when the current kiosks are replaced. But systemwide replacement of stations isn’t going to happen for years.

http://wamu.org/news/16/02/03/metro_plans_for_modern_fare_payment_system_delayed_no_word_on_how_long

Even if the $184 million contract with Accenture had been on track, the transfer away from SmarTrip would not have completed until 2021. Now the process has been delayed because of the unsuccessful pilot. Based on the delays with most major projects, Metro and non-Metro, I would guess that even if Metro sticks to their plan, it won’t be finished until the mid 2020s at best.

The article does mention that Chicago’s new gate system resulted in glitches. Everyone has seen enough bugs in software overhauls to know that is a possibility. This is why I would be concerned that this could happen, even if a Metro/CaBi transfer program were added solely through software. I already mentioned this before. It’s a risk, and if it’s too great a risk, it would make this idea unwise.

But what is the risk? I don’t know but I don’t think others know either.

[lordofthemark]

@PotomacCyclist 137636 wrote:

Switching CaBi to SmarTrip would also be very expensive, requiring modifications or replacement of every CaBi kiosk. Unless an independent donor funds such a program, I don’t see how that would happen. You can claim that I’m making pronouncements, but this is based on the financial realities of CaBi and Metro. If a new kiosk were designed to use SmarTrip cards (or smartphones/chip cards), those could be added when the current kiosks are replaced. But systemwide replacement of stations isn’t going to happen for years.

Hmm. Are there are any new parts of the CaBi system, that are relatively isolated from the rest of the CaBi system, but where CaBi as last mile to metro is very important, and where there are local organizations that might want to support this?

Why so there are.

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/30217/heres-where-reston-and-tysons-cabi-stations-will-go/

I would suggest FCDOT, TyTran, and Reston Association might have an interest in doing this.

[Raymo853]

@PotomacCyclist 137629 wrote:

As for Metro rejecting the plan, well, both Metro and CaBi are funded/owned by the same groups, namely the local governments.

Regardless, they still are competitors for the funding stream from these sources, not remarkably than say how Booze Allen and Dewberry are funded by the Federal Gov.

I also fear that a too close of a relationship between CaBi and DC Metro, the horrid work culture and mismanagement of Metro will infect CaBi.

[cvcalhoun]

Of course, the way things are going with Metro, people may have to use CaBi shortly.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/2016/03/30/fba8ae0a-f688-11e5-9804-537defcc3cf6_story.html

If they close down a whole line for 6 months, they will presumably have bus service to replace it. However, two things will happen. First, the bus service will be slower and even less reliable than the trains, so people will be more inclined to give up Metro for their cars. Second, the extra car traffic, plus the extra buses, will give us massive extra gridlock. We already have among the longest commuting times of any city in the country; I don’t even want to think about what they’ll be like once those line closures start.

[Sunyata]

@cvcalhoun 137756 wrote:

We already have among the longest commuting times of any city in the country; I don’t even want to think about what they’ll be like once those line closures start.

And THIS is why I ride my bike.

[mstone]

@cvcalhoun 137756 wrote:

Of course, the way things are going with Metro, people may have to use CaBi shortly.

CaBi would need one heck of an expansion to handle a quarter million morning trips.

[PotomacCyclist]

I’m still not reading all the responses in this thread, including from particular individuals.

Just noting that I’m fed up with the *&^!, so I’m out of here. Maybe I’ll check in on road and trail conditions next winter. Meanwhile, I no longer feel comfortable knowing that posting about Capital Bikeshare OR WHATEVER is causing certain individuals to simmer in their rage, and monitor how many times I post about CaBi or cycling, and leap onto any thread I start that is related to CaBi and turn it into a ridiculous circus.

I’m not getting paid to post here and frankly, the hostility, the tracking and the outright harassment is more than a waste of my time. (I’m sure this will lead to yet another explosion of rage, but not much I can do about that at this point.) So that’s it.

Some of it has been entertaining and informative but it’s too bad the nonsense (and worse) takes over at times. I’m done.

[Author]

Posts