King County Metro loses big | Letters

Published 11:17 am Friday, July 15, 2011

I have a question for King County Executive Dow Constantine: You say Metro’s current service levels are needed for a region that is becoming more reliant on public transit. If that’s so, then how come there is a drop-off in riders?

If there is a need for services, it seems like there would be plenty of riders to pay for the service, and no need to ask the taxpayers to pony up another $20 per year for car tabs to subsidize a losing business plan.

I believe it boils down to this: No riders, no need for the service. Revenue is a good measurement of whether a service is in demand or decline.

If one of SeaTac’s many airlines couldn’t get enough passengers for flights to Timbuktu, the airline would, after careful review, cut its losses by dropping the flight. Metro should do the same.

Robert E. Morgan, Federal Way