Free Muni?

When I started this blog, it was with the intent to give me a place to vent about my daily Muni commute in a place where my co-workers - most of whom also 'experience' Muni - don't have to listen. Alas, I've had little to vent recently. Thanks Muni! You've been briskly efficient for a full week!

Of course, this gives me time to start thinking about the movement to make Muni free. The thinking is that if it's free, more people will ride Muni. This strikes me as colossally stupid. Muni is already one of the cheapest public transit systems in the country. Monthly passes with unlimited rides, transfers, and deep discounts for students and seniors make Muni extremely attractive to many riders.

The fact is, a lot of people who drive to work could ride Muni, but making it free is not going to get them out of their cars.

My neighbor pays about $100 a month to park his car a block from his office. The Muni stop is two blocks away. He drives because he wants to and because he is not price sensitive. Making Muni free is not going to change this.

A coworker drives in to work with her husband, who also works downtown. For them, the parking fee is just a little more than two Muni passes would cost, so it's easier for them to drive. They're used to it now. I don't think that an extra few bucks in their pockets is going to get them on the 38 Geary.

My friend works at a downtown city agency that has a large and free parking lot. She needs to use her car for work about once a week. The parking is free and she's able to jump into her car without any hassle. (The agency would reimburse a cab ride, but who wants to wait for a taxi?) All the free Muni rides in the world won't get her to take Muni to work. Here's the kicker. As part of her job, this friend gives away loads of free Muni passes. It's how her agency entices reluctant clients to show up for appointments where they receive city services. "We know that they probably sell them for $20 and go buy booze or drugs," my friend says. "But those Muni passes at least get them to show up."

(Yikes! Where can I get one of those $20 Muni passes? I'm going to start hanging around outside of City agencies instead of standing in line at Montgomery Street station every month.)

What Muni needs to remember is that it's always cheaper to KEEP an existing customer than to land a new ones. How can they keep us existing customers? By doing what they've been doing the past few days. Show up and transport customers with minimal hassle. That's worth a buck-fifty. A pleasant smile might even get them a tip.

Today's Stats:
Wait time: Under 2 minutes.
Ride time: 15 minutes.
Muni Reading: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - delightfully immersive.
Irritiation level: None. All is well.