I think the fact is that they are two different creatures and thus two different marketing operations. Or maybe, as I hinted, it is designed to drain people away from the highways because of congestion or pollution and is thus cheaper than building more highways which the air can’t absorb, the land can’t handle, and the State cannot afford.
But I stand corrected as NJT in NJ does use a semi zone fare system on its rail lines. And while not equal, they do appear to be close in fares charged.
That could well be a reason. The Riverline has parking lots along the route and all or most of them are free. That is often advertised. A fellow worker of mine lived a short drive from the line and found taking it a better way to get to work than driving even though the parking lot at work is also free.
Do they already have fare-collectors on the trains who could enforce multizone fares? If not, would the few increased fares cover the cost of the extra personnel?
New Jersey Transit does have people who make spot checks to see that you have purchased a ticket and that you have validated it by putting it into a validation machine. A ticket is good for two hours from the time stamped on it by the validating machine. If a ticket checker finds you without a valid ticket you are issued a summons and fined $75.00. The ticket checkers get on at random stations and check each passenger’s ticket. I have seen them many times. They are no on all trains, though.
Tickets are purchased from a ticket vending machine and inserted into a validation machine which stamps the time and date. For a zone system all that would be needed is to have the validation machine stamp the name of the station where the ticket was validated.
On the Riverline the ticket checkers are very through. A train pulls into the station. They check the tickets of all people getting off and the train waits for them. They then get on the train and check tickets of all people riding.
The engineer sits in a closed booth and there is no way to communicate with her or him. When the ticket checkers are not on the train there is no person such as a conductor who is in charge.
Yeah. on the HBLRT State troopers got aboard and checked tickets holding the car in the station.
As for the inability to check tickets for zone authority is quite possible the reason for one price fits all.
On the Newark Lightrail there is an underground fare which is about half of the regular fare. That seems to offer no problem to the ticket checkers.
But when ever I’ve seen checkers on the Newark Light Rail they never get on the train; they are in the station and check tickets of people getting off. I’ve seen them at Washington Street, Military Park and Newark Penn Station. It does strike me that they can be evaded by watching or them and simply staying on the train. Even at Penn Station if you want to transfer to the light rail to Broad Street you stay on the train after the discharge point, the train makes a U turn and you get off where other people board. I suspect some people know this and do it.
So if the ticket specified how many zones it was good for and where it was bought, the ticket checkers would know if you rode past the zone you paid for.
Maybe the line is still one zone to build ridership on this relatively new operation.
Maybe you are right, Mike. I seem to be falling into an argumentative rut which is something I want to stop. It is not reasonable for me to expect you or anyone else to give me a really authoritative answer here. All any of us can do is to second guess.
What we know is that the Riverline fare is set as one bus zone, currently $1.50. If you do decide to ride be sure to buy and validate your ticket or you risk a $75 fine.
Happy New Year, John