I couldn't tell for sure, but it appears that the workers get the Metrochecks without even taking a salary deduction. So it really is free money. One answer would be to stop giving these out for free and make them pay for them with pre-tax money, just like everyone else does. This would cut down on resales, plus it would eliminate the problem of non-employees getting these.
What about forcing the payment for free parking? You can't make some people pay for transit, while others get free parking with no cost associated.
This makes me furious, but I can't say I'm surprised. These agencies give employees/contractors/complete strangers a $105 card and they expect everyone actually use it? It's free money!
Everyone who scammed Joe Taxpayer should be immediately fired, repay Uncle Sam (w/ interest), and serve at least 100 hrs on road cleanup duty.
How the heck does the IRS have free parking for employees? Incredible.
Oh I absolutely agree that they should pay for parking too. That's a valuable revenue generator that is sitting idle if it's not charging for it. It's the same principal as cheap meters.
They should do what the DC government does. Put the METRO RFID chip in their employee id cards, and transfer the fare directly.
Actually, there IS a good reason not to automatically use them as SmarTrip. Because not everyone uses them to take the Metro.
These cards can be used towards MARC passes (I'm sure of this) and put towards bus fare passes on systems that don't take SmarTrip (I'm not as sure of this).
Sorry, but not so much.
(Now *I* need to find where I lost/misplaced my SmarTrip a few weeks ago and/or report mine lost. This whole not being able to take the bus easily thing is starting to get on my nerves. OTOH, I'm doing more walking now and Spring IS pretty.)
I have one of these fed smart cards and use it when it is raining or too iced up to cycle to work. The problem with it as I see it is that people who live farther away from work get more of a transit subsidy.Personally I think that Metro should be free for everyone who lives inside the beltway, and that the farther from your job that you live- you should pay a premium and not stiff those of us who live so close to work. I get a paltry $45 a month on my smart card- if someone lives in Gaithersburg the can get well over $100 a month. This is welfare for sprawl.
Or Metro could implement Monthly transit passes (as do other public transit systems). Portland (Oregon) businesses often offer their employees free TriMet (transit agency) passes. TriMet offers employers a very discounted rate for these passes IF the employers buy one for every employee, in order to increase use of public transit for commiting (and otherwise). Metro should do likewise.
we need to stop the subsidies for people to live far from their jobs; lower taxes for city dwellers and those who live closest to work. It is as if Al Quaida or OPEC is determining our transit policies & taxation strategies in this city , region, and country.
Commenting by HaloScan
