Alex W
@trolleysevery5min.bsky.social
Data Researcher for RideSD. Frequent Commenter at MTS and SANDAG Meetings.
Deficits arise because expenses are growing faster than tax subsidies and fare revenues.
That's why it's crucial that new tax revenues--be it from the state or from a local half cent sales tax--be raised to fund MTS
That's why it's crucial that new tax revenues--be it from the state or from a local half cent sales tax--be raised to fund MTS
September 14, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Deficits arise because expenses are growing faster than tax subsidies and fare revenues.
That's why it's crucial that new tax revenues--be it from the state or from a local half cent sales tax--be raised to fund MTS
That's why it's crucial that new tax revenues--be it from the state or from a local half cent sales tax--be raised to fund MTS
"Profitable" means farebox recovery >= 100%.
Farebox recovery = fare revenues/operating expenses
MTS fare revenues cover only 20% of operating expenses.
That's completely fine. As long as tax subsidies cover the remaining 80%, revenues and expenses are balanced. No deficit.
Farebox recovery = fare revenues/operating expenses
MTS fare revenues cover only 20% of operating expenses.
That's completely fine. As long as tax subsidies cover the remaining 80%, revenues and expenses are balanced. No deficit.
September 14, 2025 at 1:33 AM
"Profitable" means farebox recovery >= 100%.
Farebox recovery = fare revenues/operating expenses
MTS fare revenues cover only 20% of operating expenses.
That's completely fine. As long as tax subsidies cover the remaining 80%, revenues and expenses are balanced. No deficit.
Farebox recovery = fare revenues/operating expenses
MTS fare revenues cover only 20% of operating expenses.
That's completely fine. As long as tax subsidies cover the remaining 80%, revenues and expenses are balanced. No deficit.
First, I agree, it's OK for transit to not be profitable.
Secondly, MTS' looming annual $100M deficit is not about whether MTS is profitable or not.
Secondly, MTS' looming annual $100M deficit is not about whether MTS is profitable or not.
September 14, 2025 at 1:30 AM
First, I agree, it's OK for transit to not be profitable.
Secondly, MTS' looming annual $100M deficit is not about whether MTS is profitable or not.
Secondly, MTS' looming annual $100M deficit is not about whether MTS is profitable or not.
Vancouver Skytrain is also a people mover! It uses the same vehicles as JFK Airport's AirTrain (below):
September 3, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Vancouver Skytrain is also a people mover! It uses the same vehicles as JFK Airport's AirTrain (below):
Vancouver's Skytrain comes every 2-6 minutes all-day, vs. every 7.5-15 min on SD Trolley.
The result? Skytrain gets 4x the Trolley's ridership, despite Greater Vancouver having less people than SD County.
The result? Skytrain gets 4x the Trolley's ridership, despite Greater Vancouver having less people than SD County.
September 3, 2025 at 12:55 AM
Vancouver's Skytrain comes every 2-6 minutes all-day, vs. every 7.5-15 min on SD Trolley.
The result? Skytrain gets 4x the Trolley's ridership, despite Greater Vancouver having less people than SD County.
The result? Skytrain gets 4x the Trolley's ridership, despite Greater Vancouver having less people than SD County.
Here's Tokyo's 9.1-mile metro rail line--once again using Mitsubishi people movers to serve a dense, urban area. These trains can carry 600 passengers each!
September 3, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Here's Tokyo's 9.1-mile metro rail line--once again using Mitsubishi people movers to serve a dense, urban area. These trains can carry 600 passengers each!
But People Movers aren't just for airports! Here's the same people mover vehicles seen at Dulles Airport--except here they're serving a dense, urban area in Singapore:
September 3, 2025 at 12:43 AM
But People Movers aren't just for airports! Here's the same people mover vehicles seen at Dulles Airport--except here they're serving a dense, urban area in Singapore:
People Movers are driverless trains. They often shuttle airport passengers between terminals, as shown below in DC Dulles:
September 3, 2025 at 12:43 AM
People Movers are driverless trains. They often shuttle airport passengers between terminals, as shown below in DC Dulles:
Imagine that instead of the Airport Trolley, the people mover is built instead. Then the Blue and Green Line would have those 24 trains per hour all to themselves. Each could run 12 trains per hour, or trains every 5 minutes, per direction!
September 3, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Imagine that instead of the Airport Trolley, the people mover is built instead. Then the Blue and Green Line would have those 24 trains per hour all to themselves. Each could run 12 trains per hour, or trains every 5 minutes, per direction!
SANDAG says the Blue, Green, and Airport Trolleys could each have a train every 7.5 min, or 8 trains per hour per line, or 24 trains per hour in total.
September 3, 2025 at 12:34 AM
SANDAG says the Blue, Green, and Airport Trolleys could each have a train every 7.5 min, or 8 trains per hour per line, or 24 trains per hour in total.
Fortunately, none of the Automated People Mover (APM) options being considered merge onto existing Trolley tracks. So the APM will not further limit Blue/Green Line frequency.
September 3, 2025 at 12:33 AM
Fortunately, none of the Automated People Mover (APM) options being considered merge onto existing Trolley tracks. So the APM will not further limit Blue/Green Line frequency.
Why will the Airport Trolley limit frequency? Because it'll merge onto existing Blue/Green Line tracks, creating a bottleneck:
September 3, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Why will the Airport Trolley limit frequency? Because it'll merge onto existing Blue/Green Line tracks, creating a bottleneck:
7.5 Blue Line frequencies will be inadequate! MTS would have doubled Mid-Coast frequencies to 7.5 minutes this past June. The Blue Line is exceeding all-time highs for a second year in a row. That’s before University City’s plan update adds 72K new jobs and 50K new residents.
September 3, 2025 at 12:29 AM
7.5 Blue Line frequencies will be inadequate! MTS would have doubled Mid-Coast frequencies to 7.5 minutes this past June. The Blue Line is exceeding all-time highs for a second year in a row. That’s before University City’s plan update adds 72K new jobs and 50K new residents.
Problem with Airport Trolley: It'll limit Blue, Green Line frequencies to 7.5 min each, according to pub-sandag.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...
September 3, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Problem with Airport Trolley: It'll limit Blue, Green Line frequencies to 7.5 min each, according to pub-sandag.escribemeetings.com/filestream.a...
Unfortunately, MTS is a special district, and under the CA constitution any tax for a special district is a special tax, which requires 2/3, even if there isn't a specific use of the funds required. Thanks to @colinparent.bsky.social for the info!
September 2, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Unfortunately, MTS is a special district, and under the CA constitution any tax for a special district is a special tax, which requires 2/3, even if there isn't a specific use of the funds required. Thanks to @colinparent.bsky.social for the info!
Morena Blvd is undoubtedly a laggard. Encouragingly, Mission Valley is a rising TOD superstar:
cal.streetsblog.org/2025/07/08/m...
cal.streetsblog.org/2025/07/08/m...
Mission Valley on a Mission: From TOD Zero to Hero - Streetsblog California
However, SDSU Mission Valley is not a run-of-the-mill TOD; it is North America’s first university campus purpose-built as TOD.
cal.streetsblog.org
September 2, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Morena Blvd is undoubtedly a laggard. Encouragingly, Mission Valley is a rising TOD superstar:
cal.streetsblog.org/2025/07/08/m...
cal.streetsblog.org/2025/07/08/m...
Will the proposed plan update raise height limits above 30 ft around Clairemont Drive Station?
September 2, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Will the proposed plan update raise height limits above 30 ft around Clairemont Drive Station?
I agree that MTS should never be expected to make a profit. Taxpayer subsidies pay for the vast majority of MTS, and rightly so.
Even so, MTS is tragically broke, because unfortunately there are not enough tax dollars subsidizing MTS.
Even so, MTS is tragically broke, because unfortunately there are not enough tax dollars subsidizing MTS.
August 30, 2025 at 8:46 PM
I agree that MTS should never be expected to make a profit. Taxpayer subsidies pay for the vast majority of MTS, and rightly so.
Even so, MTS is tragically broke, because unfortunately there are not enough tax dollars subsidizing MTS.
Even so, MTS is tragically broke, because unfortunately there are not enough tax dollars subsidizing MTS.
That's really interesting. However, I've asked MTS and they seemed sure it'd require a 2/3rds threshold.
Safest bet would still be Measure G 2.0. Here's suggestions for revising it: cal.streetsblog.org/2025/05/06/o...
Safest bet would still be Measure G 2.0. Here's suggestions for revising it: cal.streetsblog.org/2025/05/06/o...
OpEd: San Diego Should Put Transit Funding Measure Back on 2026 Ballot - Streetsblog California
Bad timing and a conservative electorate sunk Measure G in 2024, but there's many reasons to believe a sales tax measure for transit would pass in 2026 in San Diego County.
cal.streetsblog.org
August 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
That's really interesting. However, I've asked MTS and they seemed sure it'd require a 2/3rds threshold.
Safest bet would still be Measure G 2.0. Here's suggestions for revising it: cal.streetsblog.org/2025/05/06/o...
Safest bet would still be Measure G 2.0. Here's suggestions for revising it: cal.streetsblog.org/2025/05/06/o...
Reposted by Alex W
San Diego MTS is at >93% ridership recovery and has a $30-$40 million projected annual deficit. Half of that deficit could be erased by setting the price of just one major operational expense, the electricity powering our light rail ("The Trolley"), back to 2019 levels. bsky.app/profile/alex...
- MTS has ~$30-40 million/year structural deficit from inflation + fed cuts
- MTS paid $9 million in for traction power (Trolley wires) in 2017
- MTS is paying $24 million for power this fiscal year
- Charging MTS $0 for power would lower SDGE *profits* (not revenue) only 2%.
SDGE are parasites.
- MTS paid $9 million in for traction power (Trolley wires) in 2017
- MTS is paying $24 million for power this fiscal year
- Charging MTS $0 for power would lower SDGE *profits* (not revenue) only 2%.
SDGE are parasites.
Yet another reason it's unfathomable that CA will not lower SDGE, SCE, PGE, SoCalGas massive profits. Unfathomable. insideclimatenews.org/news/1904202...
August 23, 2025 at 10:25 PM
San Diego MTS is at >93% ridership recovery and has a $30-$40 million projected annual deficit. Half of that deficit could be erased by setting the price of just one major operational expense, the electricity powering our light rail ("The Trolley"), back to 2019 levels. bsky.app/profile/alex...