July 18, 2005
I Got Them Reflexive Statist Blues
It seems as if there is an entire class of "activists" who make a habit of pooh-poohing every objectively good thing that takes place in the city. Take DC Metro Action, a blog I link to that usually discusses statehood and other related issues. Now, it's all about whining about the new circulator:
"The Washington Post reported that the Circulator – the brainchild of the National Capital Planning Commission working with two business groups and the Convention Center – was paid for with "$12.5 million from a 1960s legal settlement earmarked for city bus service." But the money wasn't given to the city's Metrobus system. First Transit, a private transportation company that runs several bus systems in the metropolitan area, will operate the Circulator. According to the Post, First Transit was awarded the money because it can "do the job for less – $57 for one hour of service per bus compared to $76 charged by Metro."Metro, instead of netting over $12 million, will receive an annual payment of $519,000 (in hush money?) to "manage" the Circulator."
The District of Columbia has an existing bus system that is desperate for money to buy new buses and hire maintenance workers and drivers – and $12 million of the city's money goes to a private tourist bus line? Does anyone know the story behind that 1960s settlement? Where did this money come from, and how did it fall into the hands of a private company? And who can tell me how much these brand new buses imported from Belgium cost compared with the price of a Metrobus? (See "My Ride on the Circulator," below.)
Given the information we have, the money is to "improve bus service," not to "fund Metrobus." As for the "hush money," which isn't very hushed if it ends up in the Post and all manner of related public record, could equal more than the cost of the settlement, depending on future arrangements and the success of the circulator service.
Second of all, the attitude of this piece comes with a set of assumptions:
1) This service is for tourists, who don't matter. Well, all of those poor people you care so much about have to work somewhere, and a downtown restaurant, hotel or tourist attraction are all good options for a low-skilled DCPS graduate. Sure, tourists are annoying, but the city depends on them. Frankly, I'm glad this service is taking them off Metro. In addition, the Union Station connection is great for commuters who previously had to transfer from MARC or VRE to Metrorail to get to their offices in the Golden Triangle area. By relieving congestion on the busiest parts of the Metrorail system, the curculator makes it easier to add new riders in outlying areas.
2) There is something wrong with buying a bus from Belgium. I've rode similar buses before, all of which have been fine for their purposes. The Metro Action writer goes on to complain about the AC (they have it, trust me) and the seating configuration (short downtown routes need more standing capacity), based on one ride. I've been on Metrobuses without air conditioning and with filthy seats I wouldn't sit on even if you lent me a pair of pants. Metrobuses break down, they spew visible black soot and they rattle like they're going to fall apart. If the Belgians can make a bus that beats the current manufacturer in a fair competitive bidding process, they should be applauded, not derided.
3) Private companies are taking city money. Yes, but they're providing a service in exchange at a lower cost than WMATA could manage. Whether you run a city or a household, you can save time and money by getting a specialist to do a specific task. First Transit, which is owned by U.K. bus and rail operator FirstGroup, is a bus operator that has experience running public and school bus systems around the country. They seem to know what they are doing. Granted, they may be cheaper because of labor practices, which would be a cause for complaint, but the allegation is never made. Instead, they're private, which means that they must be bad. It's 2005 - grow up.
Posted by rj3 at July 18, 2005 11:44 AM
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Comments
Well then, it's up to me to make the allegation: First Group has been in trouble with Labor for some time now, due to the fact that their US school-bus subsidiary, First Student, is actively quashing its employees' attempts to unionize.
You of all people, rj, should know that privatization of municipal services can often lead to this kind of business taking over, given that most businesses these days are of the union-busting persuasion.
WMATA employees are unionized (ATU Local 689). Will the people driving this new circulator be WMATA employees? If so, there's certainly less to worry about (although it is important to keep an eye out for funny business and make sure that this is not just the first step towards total privatization of the dc metro system). If not, I would say that some sort of opposition is indeed in order.
Posted by: b. at July 18, 2005 12:54 PM
was using WMATA even an option? given the infrastructure problems they have with the existing rail & bus systems, do they they have the capacity to add new bus routes?
Regarding the cost of the Belgian buses - the shiny new buses are an important part of marketing the new crosstown line - lots of folks will ride these buses that probably wouldn't if they were Metrobuses (tourists and bus-phobic commuters). Perhaps after a ride on the circulator, they'll be more comfortable with the bus in general and more likely to start using Metrobus as well (a boon for WMATA).
I'd be interested in the labor issues as well - did the article neglect that in favor of more trivial details?
I'd also be interested in how the $519K is calculated. It may well be the case that the $519K/year is more than WMATA stood to generate from operating the service directly, if their costs are much higher than First Transit's. It's pure speculation, but I wouldn't be suprised if this arrangement was made with the full cooperation of WMATA.
Oh, and if we're concerned about WMATA's financial well-being, than we certainly shouldn't decry any service that serves tourists.
Posted by: sq at July 18, 2005 3:47 PM
I'm a highly skilled DCPS graduate, watch your tongue outsider...
Posted by: watchyourtongue at July 18, 2005 3:58 PM
Well, you've made allegations, which is a start. Whoever wrote the post couldn't be bothered to do so.
Posted by: rj at July 18, 2005 4:18 PM
It's almost hilarious that this is exactly what my health management class talked about tonight.
I'm favoring a response that, regardless of what is happening behind the curtain, a need is being met that has long been sought. Actually, I don't think "long" is an appropriate modifier; I seek something along the lines of "where the fuck have the cross-town lines been?" At a point, leveraging for WMATA fails against this exact premise, as market economy basics will defeat them regardless of ethics. If this endeavor is supported by the commuting/touring public, all complaints are null and a need is met. Argue the finer points for jurisprudence, but, shit, what are you going to do, take the service away for a few more years while an alternative is sought? It's a rock and a hard place, people, but I can finally get between my classes in Foggy Bottom and Georgetown on a superb schedule for a buck.
Posted by: JK at July 18, 2005 9:43 PM