> I would expect that, if we were to compare the current subsidy
> per ride in S.F. to (say), Golden Gate Transit, Caltrain or VTA,
> we'd find that the subsidy is far higher for the outlying transit
> operations than for Muni.
I don't know what the figure is for the others, but for
BART, and counting only operating subsidy (not construction
costs, et cetera), BART riders get about three times the
per-passenger subsidy per ride that MUNI riders get.
Here are some OPERATING subsidies PER BOARDING as of a year or so ago.
Note that figures do not include depreciated capital costs (which
would make BART look far worse and the underinvested urban bus systems
and look much better, and Caltrain better), are irrespective of trip
distance (which makes Caltrain much worse), and count multiple
boardings in a single trip (transfers, which makes Muni better):
Operator Financial Year 96-97 Ops Subsidy
96-7 95-6 94-5 93-4 92-3 91-2 ($million/yr)
AC Transit 2.32 2.41 2.39 2.22 1.93 2.14 111.0
BART 3.25 3.09 2.70 2.77 2.66 2.74 118.3
Caltrain 5.90 6.44 7.42 6.87 5.53 4.55 27.1
County Connec 3.01 2.88 3.60 3.11 3.37 3.14
GGBHTD 5.36 4.90 5.07 4.88 4.41 4.58
LAVTA 4.45 4.61 4.75 4.82 5.85 5.30
SF Muni 1.38 1.39 1.38 1.36 1.26 1.27 184.5
Samtrans 2.92 2.75 2.63 2.51 2.29 2.22 40.3
Vallejo 2.48 2.56 2.33 2.40 2.58 2.61
SCVTA 3.23 3.39 3.33 3.41 3.20 3.17 142.6