Poll: SMART train fare too expensive

A majority of respondents in an online Argus-Courier poll said they would not ride the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit train at the current fare. Nearly 75 percent said they would not pay the $9.50 one-way fare to ride the length of the line, while 25 percent said they would pay that price.

Here are some comments:

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“I’d pay $9.50 for a round-trip, possibly. But $9.50 to go one way is ridiculous. If I’m going to use public transportation, I will find a cheaper alternative.”

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“At $19 a day, $95 a week, $412 a month and $5,000 a year for full time five-day commute, no way. To the folks who developed these prices, good luck getting anymore than tourists and curiosity riders.”

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“Finally the truth that this is the waste of money starts to come out. There is much wrong with SMART, starting with its head who makes more than the head of BART, even though he had neither train nor mass transit experience before this. I hope more revelations see the light.”

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“For $10 how long will it take to get to Marin during morning commute with all stops loading and unloading people? Get off the rickety train to find a bus or take the Ferry at $10.50 to SF. That’s $40 per day to commute to SF and back. Who can afford $200 per week just commuting?”

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“Frequent riders will get a discount, some employers will subsidize the fare, and most people will not be riding the full end-to-end route. This $9.50 headline is over-blowing what the actual cost to ride will be for commuters and even occasional riders.”

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“Hopefully the fare schedule includes substantial discounts for those who use the train regularly for getting to work, seniors, military and students, otherwise it will end up being a dumb train that is doomed for failure at the tax payers’ expense.”

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“I have no reasons to use SMART but I think it is a good idea. I hope people would only look at the positive side also.”

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“It’s not just the cost of SMART but the cost of getting to and from the train plus in inconvenience of no parking. Add the first and last couple of miles, and it’s expensive and takes as long as driving without the convenience.”

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“I would ride it once to check it out, but probably wouldn’t make it a habit of it since it doesn’t really go to anywhere I want to go. Pretty steep price if you were a commuter.”

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“No chance. The train would double the time, double the cost, and triple the hassle of my commute to SF. I expect it to run nearly empty until it fails. Waste of millions.”

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“I’m not the least bit interested in the train that really doesn’t go anywhere. We need our roads repaired.”

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