Harger: Sound Transit’s radical new idea that riders should pay to ride

What’s this, a little common sense? Fifteen days from now, on Aug. 27, the Sound Transit Board is expected to vote on a pilot project that would do something a little mean. Something that original planners said was far too inconvenient. Too inequitable. Too expensive.

They’re — I need you to brace yourself, because it’s a little mean, like I said. They’re thinking of installing gates at some stations.

You okay? Can I get you something? I’ll wait until you can compose yourself.

Yes, Sound Transit is considering doing something just about every transit system in the nation does. They’re kinda-sorta thinking you should, and I realize this sounds harsh, thinking you should pay to ride. Not “for sure for sure” yet. That’s why we do a pilot project, but yeah. Paying to ride the light rail.

Now I know what you’re thinking: ‘Wait, people aren’t paying to ride?’ Exactamundo, my friend.

Only 63% of light rail riders pay, and that’s the rosy estimate

The most optimistic estimate is that only 63% of light rail riders pay. But that’s a rosy estimate. Sound Transit workers who reached out to Seattle’s Morning News said it’s far fewer than that.

Sound Transit light rail has never had a gate. In the beginning, they said gates were too expensive, and no doubt they thought we’re special here in Seattle, and because of that, fare evasion would be minimal. That would be wrong.

Since the gates were never part of the plan, gates just don’t work at some locations. That is especially true for the surface street locations like those in the Rainier Valley.

Then there’s the equity of it all. The fear that this places too high a burden on the poor and minorities.

But if you look at the policies of Sound Transit, you’ll see a great carveout. Low-income riders only have to pay a dollar for a ride. Eighteen and younger? Free. Over 65? A dollar. Disabled? A dollar.

A listener named David says non-enforcement is patronizing

The last time I brought this up in a commentary, a listener named David R. from Mercer Island reached out. That’s the name on the email, at least. David wrote: “Keep hounding them, Charlie. Non-enforcement is also patronizing. It feels like the privileged class are saying (in a stuffy British accent) ‘We must accept that the lower classes are just too stupid to tap a card.’ It might be fun to track down the pressure groups pushing this, and the staff people who wrote the supporting memos. Especially if it turns out they actually have British accents.”

Now that’s some drive-by wisdom for the masses, one listener at a time, if I’ve ever heard it. Thanks for the question, Dave. I mean, David.

Katie Wilson, Dow Constantine helped soften fare enforcement in 2018

One of those pressure groups? How about the Transit Riders Union (TRU)? They were against most fare enforcement tactics back when it was voted on in 2018. Who was leading the TRU at the time? An activist named Katie Wilson. She’s now the mayor of Seattle.

Oh, and then-King County Executive Dow Constantine is the guy who introduced the legislation to soften fare enforcement in 2018. His argument then was that no one should end up in the court system because they can’t afford a ticket.

Constantine was the Sound Transit board chair back then. He is now the CEO of Sound Transit.

So enforcement took a backseat. And this is where we are now.

Fare gates at 14 stations would pay for themselves in 3 years

The idea is to put gates at the 14 busiest stations, where the very mean thing of forcing people to tap their cards would start happening.

The estimates are that this would bring in an extra $30 million a year for Sound Transit. Installing the gates would cost between $80 and $90 million. In other words, the gates would pay for themselves in three years, and after that, it adds to the bottom line.

Sound Transit is still billions in the red. There’s no realistic way it’s going to be able to expand to Ballard and the other locations we were promised when we voted yes. Fare enforcement won’t fix these huge problems. But at least it’s a start.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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