Tri-Rail may shut down within two years

[thelakelander]

Last hope for Tri-Rail: Get state funds or cut service this fall, possibly shut down for good in two years



By Michael Turnbell | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
5:53 PM EDT, May 4, 2009

Faced with drastically cutting service this fall and possibly shutting down for good in two years, Tri-Rail is in survival mode.

It comes down to this: Officials say they have one last shot this week at persuading state lawmakers to prop up the financially troubled commuter train for another year.

Legislators will return to Tallahassee at the end of the week in an extended session for a final vote on the budget. So far, no money has been allocated for Tri-Rail, which carries about 14,700 passengers on weekdays on its 72-mile line between Miami and Mangonia Park.

A new plan, called for on Sunday, would raid funds allocated for the controversial SunRail commuter rail project in Central Florida that was killed by the Legislature Friday.

A proposal for a $2 rental car tax dedicated to Tri-Rail also died Friday, the final day of the regular session.

The rental car tax and SunRail were linked together in the same bill that many senators refused to support because of the cost and an insurance policy that put too much risk on the state and taxpayers.

"Lawmakers made it clear that they weren't out to sink Tri-Rail," said Joseph Giulietti, Tri-Rail's executive director. "They just didn't like the Central Florida rail project."

The threatened service cuts come at a time when Tri-Rail has broken numerous ridership records, putting it among the nation's fastest growing commuter trains. Even as gasoline prices have dipped, the majority of passengers who flocked to the train when prices spiked to more than $4 a gallon last summer have continued riding.

"I do not want to have to drive from Boca (Raton) to Fort Lauderdale again," said Laurie Stevenson, a paralegal who rides the train four days a week. "I don't need the miles and wear and tear on my car, the gas prices and the aggravation of the traffic."

On Sunday, seven Florida state senators, including SunRail foe Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, sent a letter to Senate President Jeff Atwater, R- North Palm Beach, Speaker Larry Cretul, R- Ocala, and Gov. Charlie Crist, urging them to redirect $30 million to Tri-Rail for the next budget year.

At the same time, lawmakers in Central Florida are scrambling to make sure money that would have gone to SunRail isn't shifted to other uses like Tri-Rail.

The seven senators wrote that state intervention is the only possible solution for Tri-Rail, and the Legislature's failure to fund Tri-Rail "has led to a crisis that threatens thousands of jobs and the futures of families who depend on Tri-Rail on a daily basis."

The letter was signed by Dockery, Sen. Dave Aronberg, D- Greenacres, Sen. Ted Deutch, D- Boca Raton, Sen. Dan Gelber, D- Miami Beach, Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, Sen. Alex Villalobos, R-Miami, and Sen. Fredericka Wilson, D-Miami.

"We intend to work together to establish a dedicated funding source for Tri-Rail's future. But to achieve that future, we must assure that Tri-Rail can sustain its operations into the next legislative session," the senators said.

If funding for Tri-Rail isn't approved, Tri-Rail will slash the number of weekday trains from 50 to 30 on Oct. 5, the start of the next budget year. All weekend and holiday service will be eliminated.

Under that scenario, Giulietti said Tri-Rail can survive another 18 months. If no funding is found, all Tri-Rail service would end.

No matter what happens in Tallahassee, Tri-Rail fares will go up 25 percent on June 1, the first increase since 1995.

Tri-Rail officials say they had no choice to raise fares to cover the train's operating costs and to offset expected reductions in funding from the three counties this fall. But as with most transit systems in the U.S., higher fares don't come close to shoring up Tri-Rail's operating budget.

Tri-Rail currently recovers about 18 cents of every dollar it spends on annual operating costs. Even with the increase, that is only expected to climb to 21 cents and still below the national average of 25 cents.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-tri-rail-funding-050409,0,3748386.story

[Ocklawaha]

Typical Florida Bull S***!

Though I'll bet they come to some last hour rescue, the article sounds more like a flash bang, then a real bomb, my guess is they are trying to scare the lawmakers into a stampede! Hey in the process they might back into a favor or two for Jacksonville?!?

Off the subject a tad. Does Dockery REALLY think HSR won't need at least the same insurance?

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

This was predictable....

No last-minute help for Tri-Rail; service to be reduced

Legislators turn deaf ear to plea for more money

By Mike Turnbell and Scott Wyman | South Florida Sun Sentinel
6:30 PM EDT, May 5, 2009

FORT LAUDERDALE - It's the end of the line for Tri-Rail.

The $65 million state budget includes nothing to help the financially struggling commuter railroad.

A last-ditch plea for money to cover operating costs failed, Tri-Rail officials said today.

Starting Oct. 5, the number of weekday trains will be slashed to 30 from 50. All weekend and holiday trains will be eliminated.

Under that scenario, Tri-Rail can last 18 months.

But a total shutdown could come sooner if Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties pull their funding this fall. Broward County Commissioner and Tri-Rail board chairman Josephus Eggelletion said if one county stops sending money, the other two should as well.

If that happens, Tri-Rail will have only enough money to continue running for nine months, or until July 2010.

Broward Mayor Stacy Ritter said legislators should feel ashamed for not helping Tri-Rail get a $2-a-day rental car tax for operating costs, just as more people are using public transportation. But they don't.

"It's easy for them because they don't see the face of the people hurt," Ritter said.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/sfl-trirail-funding-bn050509,0,4438323.story

[heights unknown]

What a travesty.  I just don't understand why one of these counties are pulling the plug.  With a huge population base and successful and even increasing ridership, and local and state officials can't come together to keep Tri-Rail chugging along, is a crying shame!  Have any of you lived in South Florida and ridden Tri-Rail?  Fantastic commuter train!  I used to ride it from Fort Lauderdale to Deerfield Beach and absolutely loved it, and rode it sometimes just to ride and not drive!  Hope they save "Miss Tri-Rail!"

Heights Unknown

[JeffreyS]

Wonder if the south Florida Democrats regret their Sunrail vote that had the $2 tax written in.

[tufsu1]

What a travesty.  I just don't understand why one of these counties are pulling the plug. 

the reason is quite simple...budgets...remember, Floridians stupidly passed a reduction in property tax rates...and now local governments are scrambling to find revenue or cutting back on services.

How come people always want more services but think that taxes are too high?

[FayeforCure]

Wonder if the south Florida Democrats regret their Sunrail vote that had the $2 tax written in.

It was a gimmick tha didn't amount to a dedicated funding source. That would never have survived a Crist required referendum.

Instead:

State Senators Want SunRail Money To Fund South Florida Train
Monday, May 04, 2009 12:32:57 PM
Tools: E-mail | Print | Feedback | 
TALLAHASSEE -- After a coalition of Florida state senators killed Central Florida’s SunRail project, the question now is: What should the state do with all the money it was going to allocate for the project?

The same group of senators have an idea, but it may not get very far.

Many of those senators are from South Florida, and they want the money to go to their train, Tri-Rail.

In a letter Sunday, the group urged Gov. Charlie Crist, state Senate President Jeff Atwater and state House Speaker Larry Cretul to consider their idea and intervene in what they called a “funding crisis.”

heights unknown is right. Shore up our existing and successful tri-rail!

[urbanlibertarian]

I wonder what the fare would have to be to cover expenses and continue operating?

[thelakelander]

Its unrealistic to expect Tri-Rail to break even through fares.  If fares were raised to cover the exact cost of expenses the system would quickly shut down because no rider could afford to buy tickets on a regular basis.  To expect transit to break even or turn a profit would be the same as expecting every public school, library, park and street to turn profits.  The problem is Tri-Rail's funding sources (the South Florida counties) may have to pull their financial support away as they deal with their own budget crunches.

[mtraininjax]

Tri-Rail fares will go up 25 percent on June 1, the first increase since 1995.

How do you operate a service that has not seen an increase in fares in over 14 years? Jea comes to mind, and they have not been bashful about raising rates of late. Marta in ATL seems to have price increases every year, to cover the expense of the cars and the system. We should be thankful that JTA does not raise our taxes every year to pay for their expenses, we have the gas tax to thank for it.

Big difference between rail and buses, rail gets a fraction of the revenue created from tax, and until that changes in Florida, don't look for rail to succeed.