Raising Fares at the T (again)

The T has been saying for a week now that they are going to have to raise fares again in a couple years. The fares are already expensive enough (especially if you are buying monthly passes), and the service is not good. Today we have some analysis from The Globe:

Current fares don't even come close to keeping the T alive, let alone funding improvements and extra services.

So, instead of a world class system, we are left with the prospect of one with major problems - crowding, crumbling infrastructure, and too much debt to fix inevitable problems.

...A hefty fare hike would make our public transportation system one of the most expensive in the country, but it would make little difference to the agency's bottom line.

The MBTA needs a major bailout. Only the state hasn't got the money to do it.

This has been pretty obvious for a while now. My guess is that the T knows it needs that bailout and is playing this in the press because frothing riders are the only defense from angry taxpayers and scared politicians.

P.S. The article makes a mistake that is continually being made by the press - claiming increased ridership will take cars off the road. Whenever you take cars off the road, the road becomes more attractive, and other people flock to fill those empty lanes. The key to increasing ridership is that you can more easily increase commuters by public transportation than you can by car. Also, idle riders pollute less than idle cars.