Quote Originally Posted by Wh1stl3r2 View Post
Is this really true? Some years ago I remember an MRT rep saying the subsidy was less than 100%. So the actual fare is perhaps around <80 pesos max one way. I for one would take the MRT instead of taking my car in crawling EDSA traffic.



You can simply put up barriers at the platforms to segregate the premium passengers. You can also put up turnstiles for this purpose. The premium train in this case isn't really a separate train but a couple of cars also connected in front of the regular trains. You could also put a lot more regular cars in one train to accommodate more regular passengers. Most of the traffic in EDSA is caused by private cars. Think of how many would be taken out if a similarly comfortable option were available.



I think in part it is. With all the money this admin is planning on spending while shaving off revenue, we need every peso we can get. They are quick to issue press releases about spending more money but not much is said about how to increase revenue.
I rode the MRT for a decade and saw it deteriorate from its serviceable state in the early/mid 2000s until its hellish condition today. The main reason why it's so inconvenient is because there are far less trains now and far more people riding the MRT.

Again my question is - instead of adding, say, 20 premium trains, why not add 20 regular trains so more people can ride? The maximum car capacity per station is 4 cars per train. So you have a constraint already in terms of carrying capacity.

While it's theoretically possible to find an equilibrium point in terms of pricing that will maximize revenues while keeping ridership of one car at a convenient level, it goes against the mandate of a government run service which is to address the needs of the underserved segments of society. The MRT was not made for the convenience of the upper middle class - its purpose is to transport the working class as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible.

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