The City of Phoenix is addicted to wasting millions of dollars on antiquated train systems. So much so that they are constantly looking for more people to subsidize the ever-growing and inevitable rising costs.
Their new target? Phoenix Sky Harbor patrons who Uber or Lyft to the airport.
Even though ridesharers have absolutely no need to take the Sky Train at Sky Harbor, that hasn’t stopped city officials from implementing a 200 percent increase on the current $2.66 fee for them to pick up and drop off passengers.
Under the current proposal the Phoenix Council voted on October 16th, passengers would see a $10 round trip cost increase by 2024, making Phoenix one of the costliest airports in the country for residents to rideshare.
A fee to cover the rideshare companies’ impact on roads and curbs is understandable. However, forcing their customers to subsidize a train they don’t use is little more than social engineering. Currently, many people find it more affordable to uber to the airport than to park their car. The real goal of this policy: force people to use the train by making the alternative less economically desirable. Afterall, if the issue was equity as argued by proponents, elected leaders would require a fee on users of the Sky Train not the ridesharers. Additionally, rideshare patrons will get a discount off their fee if they use the Sky Train to the 44th St Station.
Just like downtown Phoenix light rail, city officials are constantly looking for creative ways to force people onto their trains to make the millions they waste on a system people barely use look less like a boondoggle.
Recent Comments