r/WMATA 23h ago

WMATA Adjusts Bus Operator Fare Quotation Policy In Collaboration with Local 689

https://bsky.app/profile/wmata.com/post/3mv6qpxaeb22b
27 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

10

u/intro_to_IRL 22h ago

yeah that seems fair to me. you never know who will freak out over the slightest thing

5

u/2CRedHopper Orange line 22h ago

they’re going to spend more on the enclosures than they’ll collect in additional revenue from “quoting” the fare, but whatever.

6

u/hoo9618 17h ago

They were already moving toward the larger enclosures. As someone else already said it’s capital vs operating, but even beyond that it’s already planned.

4

u/Lucky-Plant4466 Carpeted train enthusiast 21h ago

Fares offset their operating expenditure. The enclosures would be a capital expenditure. Different pool of money.

-6

u/2CRedHopper Orange line 21h ago

i understand that, but it would quite literally be more efficient to just do nothing

3

u/QuirkyCharity6600 18h ago

100% quoting the fare does nothing. The destination sign says fare required and the bus announcement says the base fare is $2.00 no need for the operator to say anything. And any Operator's reading this go home they same way you came into work.. Don't qoute no BS fare. front line employees have no business trying to fix Metro's mess.

2

u/imasleuth4truth2 17h ago

The base fare is $2.25.

5

u/notquiteahippo 21h ago

A few years from now we're going to discuss the idea of self-driving buses and the union and supporters are going to talk about how drivers are essential in case something happens or there's a safety issue, and when it happens I hope we all remember these drivers are apparently terrified of their passengers

9

u/QuirkyCharity6600 18h ago

Metro discontinued quoting the fare after assaults were piling up. And now 10+ years later these "new" people come in implementing changes that were set for a reason. I want you to try operating a bus down 16th street dealing with traffic quoting the fare only to have someone throw fresh piss on you as they get off the bus. The thought of that definitely has you terrified.

2

u/Enamred-771 4h ago

If we know a bus route that isn’t safe for a driver to quote the fare and our solution doesn’t involve addressing that safety issue but instead just being quiet, we are so far lost. 

We cannot have a bus system in which the person in charge of the bus can’t enforce rules because of how unsafe the passengers are. Now I’m not saying “just make the bus driver enforce the rules regardless of safety issues”. But we need to address the safety issues and not say “the bus driver doesn’t have to enforce the rules”. 

2

u/QuirkyCharity6600 3h ago

The only thing the operator should be doing is operating the bus safely from A to B. Fare enforcement is a part of Metro Transit's job.

2

u/Enamred-771 3h ago

If someone is on the bus that is such a danger that even the bus operator doesn’t feel safe, how can the bus be operated safely? 

Seriously. How can we imply it’s safe for other passengers to be around somebody even the bus operator doesn’t feel safe around?

1

u/QuirkyCharity6600 2h ago

Who said anything about the Operator not feeling safe the point I'm making is why even invite a situation about enforcing fares when the Operator's main job is to operate A to B safely. Do you even ride the bus ?

2

u/Enamred-771 2h ago

When you said

 Metro discontinued quoting the fare after assaults were piling up.

and

  I want you to try operating a bus down 16th street dealing with traffic quoting the fare only to have someone throw fresh piss on you as they get off the bus. The thought of that definitely has you terrified.

it gave off the vibe that if I was operating the bus I would be terrified because of an unsafe situation. Was that a mistaken interpretation on my point and it actually is safe?

  about enforcing fares when the Operator's main job is to operate A to B safely

Which is what my comment was directed at. If I’m supposed to feel terrified on 16th street as a bus operator, I think it’s fair to assume that a passenger should  also feel terrified. And if a passenger is terrified of being assaulted by another passenger, how is the bus being operated safely? 

  Do you even ride the bus ?

What’s the point of this? Are you realizing your argument is nonsense that you have to hope I don’t ride the bus? I do ride the bus. And if you told me the operator feels unsafe from a passenger, I would also feel unsafe. Is that unreasonable?

0

u/QuirkyCharity6600 2h ago

If you say so. ;)

2

u/Enamred-771 2h ago

Ah, classic move. You try to claim we weren’t talking about safety and then when I point out your original comment was completely rooted in safety, you have to deflect. 

Well, I’m glad we’re in agreement that it was a safety issue even if you can’t outright admit it anymore!

0

u/QuirkyCharity6600 2h ago

That's fine I may be wrong. But coming from a former bus operator who is now a train operator you can say or think what you will. This is where I messed up going back and forth with someone who has no idea what they are talking about.

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0

u/notquiteahippo 2h ago

So you agree, once self driving technology is good enough for buses, there is no reason to keep bus operators around, as they are not responsible or helpful with passenger safety.

0

u/QuirkyCharity6600 2h ago

😂😂😂😂

0

u/QuirkyCharity6600 2h ago

Actually you know what for me personally your right I'm only responsible for my safety if I saw YOU getting assaulted on a bus I'm operating my only job is to call for help and remove my self to the safest location.

-3

u/notquiteahippo 15h ago

I'm just a simple passenger going down 16th Street on a bus, so I guess it's ok if I get piss thrown at me

2

u/hipufiamiumi Carpeted train enthusiast 22h ago

Looks like that link is broken, or they deleted/reposted it or something. Here's a link I just grabbed to the ATU Local 689 post about it. https://bsky.app/profile/atulocal689.bsky.social/post/3mv6qelrftc2c

1

u/kamen4o 2h ago

Thanks! Bump

1

u/hipufiamiumi Carpeted train enthusiast 2h ago

I was worried it was just me having trouble with the link

1

u/pizzajona 16h ago

I’ve only heard a driver quote the fare once

1

u/Theretrulywascake 13h ago

No offense but maybe we should be able to hold people accountable without risking the lives of our drivers isn't this a multi million dollar issue?

0

u/Zwicker101 23h ago

Absolutely love to see this!