tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post8263352536089579419..comments2024-02-14T17:11:22.168-08:00Comments on On Bicycles, and.... what else is there?: Caltrain Eight-ride Addictiondjconnelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01484858820878605035noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-74792354315171604182010-11-01T20:36:37.613-07:002010-11-01T20:36:37.613-07:00I completely agree with you, Ammon. BART doesn...I completely agree with you, Ammon. BART doesn't use zones, for example: they're an artifact of paper tickets. Although BART doesn't really offer volume discounts, either, so I hope Caltrain doesn't emulate BART too strongly.djconnelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01484858820878605035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-76731828957032609332010-11-01T12:57:54.122-07:002010-11-01T12:57:54.122-07:00Smart ticketless systems could also encourage more...Smart ticketless systems could also encourage more local trips by making the zone system more equitable to people who live near zone boundaries. Zones could be dynamic based on distance traveled. Or the current zone system could be kept with a discount added for a short trips that happen to cross a zone boundary. As it is now, both in terms of fare structure and frequency of trains, caltrain favors long distance commutting.<br /><br />My wife commutes from San Bruno (zone 1) to a business close to the Millbrae caltrain (zone 2). Although caltrain is faster, taking the bus is much cheaper and busses run more frequently. It's ironic that we have tracks and train stops practically from our house to her work yet surface streets are more desirable. In the early part of last century there was a 3rd option: light rail tracks used to parallel the caltrain tracks down to Burlingame.<br /><br />Caltrain from San Bruno to Millbrae (2 miles of track): $4.25<br />Caltrain from San Francisco to Redwood City (25 miles of track per http://app.strava.com/rides/197374): $4.25<br />On the flip side, Caltrain from San Bruno to SF is a great deal at $2.50, and this is visibly evident in the mornings: the NB tracks always have a lot more commuters than SB.<br /><br />As for myself, I bike the 2.2 miles to Millbrae to have more train selection and make my rides cheaper: http://app.strava.com/rides/213140<br /><br />Which could be seen as a downside to Caltrain expending more effort to cater to cyclists: freeloaders like me who use the bike to game the zone system...ammonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00178442144294386818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-4396955599060471082010-10-30T07:31:36.292-07:002010-10-30T07:31:36.292-07:00I think you're rather hopeful that such a sens...I think you're rather hopeful that such a sensible systems (monthly caps etc) will happen, London's had oyster cards for 7 years now and they still have the same gaming problem with what tickets/passes to buy although at least there's a daily cap when it works.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08294253618980853575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1564958057737541664.post-20446511389463909132010-10-30T06:42:34.477-07:002010-10-30T06:42:34.477-07:00Why not an EZ Pass system with a set fare which is...Why not an EZ Pass system with a set fare which is deducted from your account only each time you actually ride? That would address several of the more challenging aspects of the game as you describe it.John Romeo Alphahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01289456379789026152noreply@blogger.com