Northwest Indiana Discussion

http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/ ... 826c4.html

Now that has to be about the most lame excuse for a rate increase I've heard in a while. But I suppose in the grand scheme of things it makes a little sense because they get your fare money wherever you board. But to tell a Hammond or EC resident your service costs more to prevent out of state people from boarding, well to curb their desire to board, at their stations seems pretty ridiculous to me. And of course Gary & Michigan City folks are screwed for nothing. Since the city has taken efforts to move the station to me there is a simple solution. Just build the future parking lot now and use the city bus to shuttle to the old/ current station.

But NICTD General Manager Gerald Hanas said the move is motivated mainly by an increase in Metra fares. Systemwide Metra fare increases averaging 25 percent will hike the price of boarding a South Shore train at Hegewisch to $4.75. Because Hegewisch is in the Metra zone, South Shore trains there charge Metra fares. When the $1.50 parking price is added in the cost of traveling from Hegewisch to Millennium will be $6.25.

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/ ... z1fTVRtBQR

And you wonder why we balk at adding a new rail line in NWI? Even if we could be more cost efficient than the systems across the boarder when they raise rates the South Shore wants to raise their rates even if they don't really need to.