Some Metro leaders want to rethink a goodwill promotion by a financial services firm that would give rail passengers a free morning ride next month.
They say they have two concerns: The offer might overwhelm trains with extra riders, and bus passengers were not included.
Turnstiles in San Francisco bore signs on a free-ride day urging riders to save. ING Direct, which paid for the rides, wants to run a similar Metro promotion.
(Ing Direct)
|
_____Transportation_____
•
Safety Experts Doubt Benefits Of Driver's Ed (The Washington Post, Nov 22, 2004)
•
Summer's a Memory, but Traffic Lives On (The Washington Post, Nov 3, 2004)
•
Officers Deployed To Unclog Gridlock (The Washington Post, Oct 29, 2004)
•
In N.Va., It's Rail Vs. Road Repairs (The Washington Post, Oct 20, 2004)
•
More Stories
|
| |
_____D.C. Government_____
•
SE Man Charged in Sexual Assault (The Washington Post, Nov 22, 2004)
•
In Moot Court, Students Learn With Conviction (The Washington Post, Nov 22, 2004)
•
At D.C. Police Museum, Pieces of National History (The Washington Post, Nov 22, 2004)
•
Stadium Touted as Boost for Construction Apprentices (The Washington Post, Nov 21, 2004)
•
More Stories
|
| |
|
ING Direct approached Metro in September with an offer to pay about $600,000 to cover fares during the morning rush Dec. 16 in exchange for "turning the system orange," the firm's color. ING said signs will blanket stations, orange stickers will be placed over fare card machines and "orange ambassadors" will engage riders.
It's a promotion for the company as well as a free ride for subway passengers.
Board members approved the deal Thursday but also asked transit officials to negotiate with ING to include bus passengers. ING officials said they were awaiting an offer from Metro managers, who have estimated that including bus riders would raise costs by $100,000.
Metro officials said they are talking with ING about shifting the promotion date from Dec. 16, a Thursday, to Friday, when ridership would be lower. ING said it wants to stick with Dec. 16. Rides would be free from 5 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
The plan to offer the promotion only to train riders stirred up old tensions among District representatives at Metro, who champion bus passengers, and the suburban leaders whose constituents mostly use rail service.
When Metro board members considered higher fares this year, those from the District argued that bus riders could not afford a big bump, and suburban leaders countered that not everyone who parks and rides is affluent. In the end, bus fares were raised a nickel, to $1.25, while base rail fares rose 15 cents, to $1.35, and daily parking fees increased by 75 cents.
Last week, when Metro's managers announced a plan to improve customer service, District representatives complained that it was designed almost entirely for rail users. They felt the same way about the free ride.
Gladys Mack, a District representative on the board, said bus riders "aren't getting the benefit simply because they're not high-tech, they're not as accessible, they're not as visible in as many ways as rail riders."
T. Dana Kauffman, who represents Fairfax County on the Metro board, said naysayers are "looking a gift horse in the mouth."
"Our huge growth over the past seven years has been almost totally driven by suburban, long-haul riders," he said. "I view this as an opportunity to say thank you."
ING said it chose Metrorail for the promotion because it carries the types of people who use or need financial services.
"It's people who have a propensity to save, who look for a good value," said Ashlee Stokes, a company spokeswoman.
