[sustran] Re: DETERMINING MRT FARES

[Ronaldo R. Manahan]

>The proponents of "user-pays" principle who try to justify the high fares of
>mass transit systems (but themselves travel on chauffer driven cars) never
>target road based system for the same principle. Road based systems are also
>disguised as means of basic mobility.

The only way in which to make LRT fares "affordable" is indeed to fairly
charge all modes.  Cities should seriously consider congestion pricing,
higher parking charges, etc.  The problem in Manila is that there are
certain sectors now complaining about increased parking charges at shopping
malls, claiming that the retail developments are already earning enough
profits from sales, and cite that the "poor" car owners would have to pay
more for parking.

What they fail to recognize is that retail developments spend for parking,
and these costs have to be recovered from somewhere.  If they cannot
recover them from user charges, then they tack on these costs to goods
sold, which affects everybody in terms of higher prices, car owner or LRT
rider.

Ronaldo Manahan
Transportas
PO Box 143
University of the Philippines Diliman
Quezon City, Philippines