Press release coverage kinda glosses over the fact that the numbers are basically nothing more than estimates and tend to spike whenever people start watching them too closely or more cash is in question. Still, check the report and see if it reads like promo or a real analysis of the ridership, it's impact and still so many empty storefronts along main betwixt taxpayer subsidized luxury dwellings.
You decide . . .
You decide . . .
KC Streetcar marks 5 million rides since launch
Breaking News Kansas City, MO - The Kansas City Streetcar Authority (KCSA) announced it logged its five-millionth ride this past weekend. The KC Streetcar has been in operation for two and a half years, and according to the KCSA, the streetcars have travelled 305,128 miles on its route, with a daily ridership average of 5,806.
Nice. We spent over 100 million on this so this equals a cost $20 for each passenger. This will never be profitable because no one will pay to ride this and KCMO is asking for more federal funds to expand it than we are sending for hurricane relief. SAD!
ReplyDeleteSo the claim is for five million FREE rides.
ReplyDeleteLooks like what these transit geniuses are trying to do is to make up for margin with volume.
Any openings at any local campuses for econ 101 courses?
The taxpayer-funded amusement park reaches new heights!
I ride the streetcar a few times every month, and the majority of the riders are tourists. Why we don't charge them, even a small amount, say, $1.50 or $2.00 is a mystery to me.
ReplyDeleteWe should pay them $1.50 or $ 2.00 seems fair to me. It's only money.
Delete4:20 - because if the streetcar authority charged to ride, there would be far fewer riders, and it would be harder to argue that the streetcar is successful and therefore should be extended.
ReplyDeleteIf people were charged a rider fee then the ridership of the fair weather toy train would dramatically drop.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to get 25 million tourists anally is by offering free fair weather toy train rides.
So it’s five million anally?
ReplyDeleteWhat a joke, who fabricated that insane count, Go4KC?
ReplyDeleteJust think how much extra money they'd have if they charged a quarter.
ReplyDeleteFreudian Slip Go4KC says...
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how negative you people are. Five million rides on the streetcar since last May is not unbelievable. At lease that's what our consultants said. I myself have ridden 500 times, and I would imagine many of our fellow city employees have ridden as much as I have. With 25 million tourists visiting KC every day, why do you doubt these figures?
By the way, I'd appreciate it if you'd post streetcar articles during working hours. The big guy expects me to jump right on any article that questions official streetcar data, and it's a real pain to be on call 24/7, since I have to ride the streetcar a couple of times a day. How about giving me a break?
This is bullshit PR hoping to get federal money. Guess what Sly it ain't going to happen.
ReplyDeleteWell what do the other 20,000,000. people do when they are here? Or, is that another lie.....
ReplyDeleteThese numbers are based on ridership - not riders. Huge difference. If a person gets on and off every few blocks, that's rides, but it's the same rider. And these are not independently audited numbers so City Hall can claim anything they want. We'll never know the truth. They need an independent Audit of the numbers, report riders, not ridership, and if they charge money, they'll actually have a count on riders.
ReplyDeleteYou know how they get the numbers don't you?
ReplyDeleteHobo gets on at stop # 1, Gets off and ON again at stop # 2, Gets off and ON again at stop #3.
Right there you have three riders and it goes on all day long!
"The wheels on the Streetcar go round and round, round and round, round and round....all through the town"
Just imagine what the number would rise to if they just extended it to City Union Mission or the HOBO camps!
ReplyDeleteWith no turnstiles or fares being collected, how do they count the riders? Is it really noteworthy that in this town if you give away somethin' for nothin' that a lot of people will line up for it?
ReplyDelete$102 million for 2 miles of street rail is foolish public policy. It is unintentionally embarrasing and hilarious for our town. We should not be chasing conventions and other subsidized attractions within the downtown freeway noose because it will display this silliness to outsiders who otherwise may have a neutral or generally positive impression of Kay See.
-radish