Is parking too cheap?

Fares should be raised on the T. That way, vehicles wouldn't be overcrowded, and you could always get a seat. The market should decide the best fare. More demand, like at rush hour, higher prices.
 
Some transit systems do have that kind of fare structure.
 
JonFrum said:
Fares should be raised on the T. That way, vehicles wouldn't be overcrowded, and you could always get a seat. The market should decide the best fare. More demand, like at rush hour, higher prices.
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My favorite is that not only does DC have a "peak rate" they also have a "peak of the peak."

I'm just waiting on the edge of my seat for a "peak of the peak of the peak" next.
 
JonFrum said:
Fares should be raised on the T. That way, vehicles wouldn't be overcrowded, and you could always get a seat. The market should decide the best fare. More demand, like at rush hour, higher prices.
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I think a $3 rush hour fare would be a good idea. Even just 8:00-9:30am and 4:30-6:00pm on weekdays.
 
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http://www.dnainfo.com//chicago/201...title-for-nations-highest-parking-meter-rates

Isn't Boston still at $1?

What is this, Boise?

Heads should roll.
 
Can't make out the graph but if it's for an hour, it's now $1.25 in Boston, $.25 per 12 minutes ... still a bargain!
 
Chicago is first at $6.50 and Seattle is on the other end at $4.00 ^.

Even LA is $5.50
 
Chicago's rate is set and owned by Morgan Stanley for the next 99 years, I believe without any restrictions on pricing. While set to something like "market rate" I'm not sure how I feel about the private sector taking this over.

Sorry if any of the above facts are wrong.
 
Shepard said:
Chicago's rate is set and owned by Morgan Stanley for the next 99 years, I believe without any restrictions on pricing. While set to something like "market rate" I'm not sure how I feel about the private sector taking this over.

Sorry if any of the above facts are wrong.
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75 years actually.

SF has it set to the true market rate. Every month or two, prices are adjusted, some go up, some go down....and its based on time of day and day of the week.
 
I wouldn't say it's quite market rate, but it's an approximation. SFPark has restrictions on how often the rates go up or down, and by what increments. Definitely an interesting project, though, and I am curious to see how it goes.
 
$1.25/hr is way too cheap. Consider how low it is as a multiple of two T fares ("to" and "from"). I'd think that it weekdays should at least be at parity with 2 Charlie Tickets...in other words $5.00/hr. Even better at parity with 2 tickets + suburban T parking (call it $1 and make it $6/hr).

I'd like to lower prices weekends and evenings, but if I can't, so be it--its effect on weekdays is both good as fair, good as congestion-pricing, and clearly revenue positive for the city even if patronage dropped off at off-peak times.

Who should be parking at these meters? I'm thinking 3 groups:
1) Rich people (those who don't care about price)
2) Cars with multiple tourists (those who can split the price 2 to 4 ways)
3) SOVs making a quick delivery/purchase/meeting (expenses it)

I'd think all 3 of these groups would be happy to pay more--in part because they are price-inelastic and in part because they'd benefit from greater turnover at downtown spots.

One way to lower the price of parking on weekends even with clunky old meters--covert 2 spots per block to the yellow-top system that they already have: Commercial loading only all day weekdays 'til 5 or 6pm and Saturdays until 11am and then you can make it $1.25 per hour. The key thing is to take these off the markets from 8am to 11am weekdays (when we *know* commuters are using them now).
 
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Arlington said:
I'd like to lower prices weekends and evenings, but if I can't, so be it--its effect on weekdays is both good as fair, good as congestion-pricing, and clearly revenue positive for the city even if patronage dropped off at off-peak times.
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We can. Most of the "important" places have the multispace meters, where higher prices are needed most.


Whats truely appalling is that parking in Kenmore is still $1.25 an hour and free after 6pm.

IE: Park at 4pm, pay $2.50 and hog the spot until 9am the next day.
 
For the areas with market meter rates, how do they compare with Boston in terms of garage rates and availability?
 
fatnoah said:
For the areas with market meter rates, how do they compare with Boston in terms of garage rates and availability?
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In San Francisco, many garages are owned by the city, and part of the same pricing. So in most cases garages are cheaper, to encourage people to use them.
 
For the record, I'm in favor of market rate pricing for on-street parking.
 
So, according to this forum's members, parking is too cheap but newspaper pay walls are too expensive.
 
JohnAKeith said:
So, according to this forum's members, parking is too cheap but newspaper pay walls are too expensive.
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And thats an issue why?

You know how price and demand work, right?

Pricing parking high makes it less attractive to drive. Society benefits.

Pricing news and information high means its also less attractive, so society loses out.

We want more informed people (lower priced news) and less driving (higher prices parking).
 
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