30 replies to this topic

[The Real Jeffrey Lebowski]

So is the light rail on an honor system like Portlands? Didn't see anywhere to scan my pass

Pretty much. I've only been asked for my ticket once.

[unluckycharm]

I've used the bus once in Phoenix. Also Light Rail once.

I like my Toyota.

[mothrock]

Ha, I almost got busted on the light rail on my last trip to phx. I was with my entire family and I somehow lost my pass.

if anyone is ever feeling too poor to ride it, always check the trash cans or any flat surface around the stops, I noticed there were a lot of still valid passes just laying around, light rail karma?

[mig50]

last night i was headed to the light rail from casey's, and i saw a traincar pulling up to the stop as i was arriving.

i seriously thought about hopping on without buying a ticket, but then i saw a security guy on the train (which i've never seen before).

i bought a ticket, then saw that the security guy had gotten of the train. fuck.

so then i waited around 20 minutes for the next train and the new security guy on that car asked to see my ticket (which has never happened before).

moral of the story: i should have gotten on the fucking first train without a ticket.

[MikeyWretch]

They can ask me for a ticket all day long but they will never know that my vitamin water bottle is full of boons farm!
WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

[transonic]

I love light rail. I have a platinum pass from the City so I can ride it all I want. I have season tix to the Diamondbacks and the Mercury and it is fantastic taking it to games--don't have to pay for parking or walk in the heat forever from your parking spot. I take it to work a few times a week. But it is very convenient for me as my home and my work are both close to stops.

[urvile]

The light rail was great, took it a lot while I was in town

[John MFer]

There's a bus that runs right by my neighborhood all the way up University to ASU for my work. I used to take it sometimes, it was cool to read or whatever instead of fighting traffic. It took 40 minutes instead of 20-25, but it was okay once a week or so.

But then I had a kid and I have to go take that kid to day care and pick her up on the way to and from work. The bus isn't too keen on going so far off the route and then waiting a couple minutes while I drop off/pick up, so we agreed I wouldn't ride any more.

[degrae]

My truck was in the shop so I loaded the John Deere bike on the light rail for a couple trips to deep deep mesa, met a dude who was really proud that he hadn't paid just as the transit cop began sweating the tickets, 4 rides in total I only saw one transit cop at this guy's most inopportune time.
Elapsed time from Central and McDowell to Sycamore and Main =50 air conditioned minutes, 30 more than rockin' my own personal freeway, at a savings of about 2.50 not counting insurance and repairs and stuff.

[eraser]

I use a combination of bike, bus, and light rail to roam the streets of Phoenix.

It can be fun, but you definitely have to plan here and there and be aware of how often some buses come approximately.

The light rail is bad ass.

I usually pay my fare (plus I had a sweet ass platinum pass hook up 'til it expired in May - what what!), but just like someone mentioned, I've been caught getting to the station at the last minute just as the train gets there and using the farebox can take a couple of minutes.

I've ridden the light rail once or twice a week since it opened and I think I've encountered fare-checkers a couple of handfuls of times.

Recently when I hopped on without a fare, I actually did get fare-checked. I lucked out, though, because I had an old pass and it was kind of busy. I fumbled through my wallet and he barely looked at it. I wouldn't make a habit of that, though.

The continuing issues with public transit in Phoenix - buses aren't frequent enough and need to go later. That's always been an issue, but between them cutting hours of operation for buses last fall and continued economic issues, I doubt that's gonna get better.

The fare increase really sucks.

While an all-day pass is technically $3.50, that's only if you buy one at a light rail stop, a transit center, or a Safeway or Fry's (just learned about the grocery store availability).

It's $5.25 otherwise (buying the all-day pass on the bus) which is pretty outrageous.

When I was driving a gas-guzzling car and gas prices were crazy, I actually started to ride the bus here and there because I could A) save money per trip to work (it cost less to hop on a bus roundtrip than to drive) and I could get some reading done.

Now, while is still in tact, I guess, A) is virtually an impossibility for most people.

Also, a lot of working folks aren't near a light rail stop, transit center, or don't have time to stop by a grocery store, especially when most of them are just heading to and from work. It's almost unconscionable to charge people that.

I've seen a few people not let on for not having full fare or dropped off at the next stop. Usually, people who had planned on buying a full pass only to find that they can't afford them then opt for just one-way fare. Occasionally, there will be a bus driver that lets someone pay for a reduced fare or pass, or sometimes let someone on without paying or if they're short. A lot depends on the bus driver, time of day, and how busy things are.

What would very slightly lessen the sting would be if the all-day pass were truly all day - 24 hours.

It's a sham for people to pay as much as $5.25 and not really get their full use out of it, if they happen to buy it later in the day.

In Austin, bus fare is dirt cheap and you have 24 hours from activation of an all day pass to use it.

So, yeah.

[urvile]

I only ended up paying (between King County and Phoenix transit) about $17 for the whole vacation. Got lucky on the trip back to the airport that no one stopped me - I somehow bought the discounted fare rushing and trying to make the rail train

[differently biotic]

FYI for anyone who rides the bus

[Katie]

fml. If bus service were to stop m-f my life would be so fucked. I would seriously bomb the fuck out of this city

[differently biotic]

another extension for the 3rd and the 10th of Oct.

[LuketheXjesse]

I have never taken the bus before ever.

I like my space.