Ride Free Area - Public Engagement Report

347. If all fare is paid at entrance, why not have ORCA scanners installed at the back doors? Those with ORCAs would then be able to enter at either door, and those who pay with cash board at the front door.

348. Phasing out downtown Seattle's free ride area is short-sighted. The administrative costs of developing and managing options for low or no-income folks will likely outweigh any increases in revenue, as less downtowners will use the bus for getting around if there is no free ride zone.

349. I think this is a horrible decision and hope you will reconsider it. Many people rely on this service for economic reasons, not to mention the ease that it gives visitors and those working in downtown.

Charging for this service will bring congestion and wait times, adding to the frustration of the public.

350. This decision needs to be rescinded, it's a terrible idea to eliminate the ride-free zone. It is what makes it attractive for me to attend events in downtown after riding a ferry from Kitsap County instead of driving over.

351. This is an excellent idea. It removes the confusion as to when to pay: when you get on or is it when you get off ? Some bus drivers get upset when the passengers forget to tap the orca card or pay the fare. Have they pause to consider that it may be a honest mistake instead of jumping to conclusion.

Having said that I must say that I had observed some who deliberately cheated. There was one time that I had observed a passenger who had a stack of old transfer tickets neatly banded together for use in the future. I am amazed how organized this person is. She knew exactly what color was in use for that particular day, and she had various time span too. She is not the only person that I had observed doing that. This is how we end up in this mess. Is there anyway Metro can prevent that from happening?

352. I am a Metro transit operator. I have made comments to the appropriate management team members, but this is important enough to have an official policy clarification. Many of us, with this upcoming service change, are concerned about an increase in service delays due to arguments about fare, assaults on drivers and delays caused by fare collection. I have long been an advocate of Metro being the first large Metropolitan transit system to have an all free service. I understand why we can't or won't take this step. The fact is 80% of all operator assaults are as a result of a fare dispute. The fact is a bus drivers job is in the top five of the most stressful occupations, so worrying about staying on or making up lost time shortens lives. The fact is there is an expected period of time after this change that service will be slowed, considerably. I hope that there will be increased security and supervisory presence in the field, on the buses, at the bus loading zones and in the DSTT for the first six months of the elimination of the Free Ride Area. Don't misunderstand me; I am strongly in favor of this change even though I would rather see no fares at all. The problem is going to be the complete lack of support the drivers get in fare enforcement. "State the fare once, if you feel safe" does not work. We either have an enforcement policy, or we don't. Metro/King County cannot continue to sit on the fence on this issue. These last few years we have been told there is not man power or money to do what we have repeatedly asked for. There must be a show of force and enforcement, with citations issued and arrests being made on a visible and daily basis to preserve peace of mind and safety for our 3500 + men and women in the driver’s seat. I intend to attend several King County and Seattle Council meetings with as many transit operators as I can influence to bring my concerns to light, before September. I intend on notifying other union's members and journalists to enlist their help and support to make our transit system safe for all through public education and legislative action. As a