EFFECT OF FARES ON TRANSIT RIDING

THE CORRELATION OF PRICE INCREASE WITH LOSS OF TRANSIT RIDING HAS BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED, BUT THE COROLLARY QUESTIONS OF PRICE DIFFERENTIAL AMONG COMPETING TRANSIT SERVICES, AND THE EFFECT OF JOINT FARES IN COORDINATED TRANSIT OPERATIONS NEED EXPLORATION. THIS ANALYSIS EXPLORED CORRELATION AMONG COMMUNITY GOALS, TRAFFIC POPULATION, AUTO OWNERSHIP, TRANSIT ROUTES, OPERATING COSTS AND VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS, AS WELL AS SINGLE-VEHICLE AND COMBINATION FARES, FOR THEIR INFLUENCE ON TRANSIT RIDING. THE TRANSIT SYSTEMS ANALYZED ARE THE PRESENT SURFACE OPERATIONS--SAN FRANCISCO MUNICIPAL RAILWAY AND ALAMEDA-CONTRA COSTA TRANSIT DISTRICT--IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT. TRANSIT RIDING PROJECTIONS FOR 1975 WERE CALIBRATED FROM EXISTING TRANSIT USE, WHICH IS A PRODUCT OF THE FARE STRUCTURE ON THE PRESENT CARRIERS. THE PASSENGER AND REVENUE VOLUMES PROJECTED FOR THE THREE BAY AREA TRANSIT SYSTEMS ON THE MACHINE RUN OF FARE SCHEDULES ULTIMATELY RECOMMENDED ARE SUMMARIZED IN TABLES. THE FUTURE COST/REVENUE MARGIN FOR EACH OF THE 120 SURFACE ROUTES, AS WELL AS FOR THE SEVERAL RAPID TRANSIT TRUNK LINES WAS DERIVED.