Sup. Wiener: Muni can’t afford free youth rides
In SFGate’ open forum, SF Supervisor Scott Wiener says that Muni simply can’t afford to shell out $8M for free rides for all youth’s when the SFMTA doesn’t even have the funding to provide essential operations and maintenance. Supervisor Wiener says that Muni needs to focus on having a more reliable system first, and that “Every time the system melts down because a switch fails, a vehicle door won’t close, stairs won’t rise, or a derailment occurs, you can be assured that the problem results from Muni not having the funds to maintain its infrastructure properly.”
Scott Wiener is absolutely correct. The parents who can afford to, have to pay their fare to keep Muni on the tracks.
Scott Wiener doesn’t mention a more important reason for not giving free rides – to anyone. If we want young people to value Muni and not trash it, they must also value it enough to pay something to ride it. Reduced price fares are enough of a subsidy.