Last Chance to Stop the Bike Locker Fee Increase

The Metro Board is expected to meet on June 24th to give final approval of the fare package that includes the 180% bike locker fee increase. I've been told by at least one renter that they already received a renewal notice with the increased fee - they decided not to renew. WMATA is hoping that the fee increase will raise $200,000 which is highly unlikely. According to their numbers, the current status of the lockers is:

65 percent (838) have current contracts;
15 percent (190) are out of service due to key problems or physical damage;
4 percent (55) are pending evictions; and
16 percent (203) are available for rental (203).

So that even if all of the current contracts and all the lockers that are pending eviction were rented at the new rate, that would raise only $116,090. To get to $200,000 they would need to rent all the broken and empty lockers as well. This seems so unlikely that it's absurd. Certainly, when they raise prices they will rent fewer, not more, lockers. Fixing the broken lockers will cost money that will come out of any increased earnings. Furthermore, people who used to rent a locker and now won't, might find themselves going to work without the help of Metro, which translates into more drops in revenue. This policy is not only bad for biking, but bad for transit and unlikely to raise much - if any - revenue

So with the increase or without, there is going to be a structural gap. Metro does need to find a way to fix that. Raising prices at stations where there is a waiting list, to clear the list, makes sense, but raising prices where there are empty lockers seems foolish.

It's unclear if there is time for the Board to tweak the plan, but if you rent a locker or think you might, you should contact your Board members and let them know your thoughts on this.

Comments

[CyclingFool]

I think you're right, washcycle. My hunch is that, at best, the increased fees will have zero net impact on revenue. There will just be higher fees for fewer utilized lockers and a LOT of cyclists annoyed with Metro. At worst, they'll lose $ on the change in price structure...

[ontarioroader]

I think the fees are primarily to stop homeless from using them as storage units.

[Jan]

Ontarioroader: Where are the facts to back up that statement?

[jj]

i recently (last week i think) received a renewal notice with the new fees. i canceled my rental.

in my case, this will lead to more inconvenience, but not more driving or less transit. i used to keep a bike at vienna metro to ride to george mason univ. instead, i'll take the slow and annoying shuttle or, when it's not rush hour, take my bike on the metro from dc.

if i could have used my transit benefits (which i never use up) to pay for my bike locker, i would have kept it.