Why cutting Fairfax Connector service is a bad idea (reason 3 of 6)

Reason 3: Because Fairfaxians would like to be able to get their evening drink on downtown once in a while.

The Reston Towne Center is nice and all. But there are some evenings when you want something a little different than Rio Grande or Jackson's Fine Food. And that's where the Connector can hook you up to the orange line downtown. And this private chauffeur system means you can have that extra espresso-infused mojito (or two) down in the Penn Quarter without worrying about the Po Po pulling you over and dragging you in.

The proposed budget cuts would eliminate trips after 8:30 or 9:30 p.m. Who thought of that brilliant idea - the taxi drivers serving the West Falls Church metro stop?

Not only does this proposal cut into drinking, it also makes life difficult for catching a sporting event, play, live music or any evening activity not scheduled at the same time as the Denny's early bird special.

Short-Sighted Transit Proposal in a Nutshell

To close the gap created by a loss in outside revenue from Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority for Fairfax Connector operations in the Dulles Corridor, the budget proposal includes the following increase in fares and reductions in service:

◦A fare increase from $1.25 to $1.50 on the base fare.

◦Elimination of seven routes.

◦Creation of one route to replace a small portion of eliminated routes 552, 553, 554 and 557.

◦Reduction in the number of late-night trips, generally operating after 8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the route.

◦Elimination of Sunday service in the Dulles Corridor.

•The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a final FY 2011 budget on Apr. 27



You can do something!

Read about the proposed cuts.

Submit your comments online.

Sign up to speak at a public hearing April 4, 5 or 6.

Call the budget hotline: 703-324-9400.

Call your district supervisor (if you live in Fairfax County)

Why cutting Fairfax Connector service is a bad idea (reason 2 of 6)

Reason 2: Because metro Washington traffic bl*ws d*nk*y b*lls.

When you're second only to Los Angeles in this, only strong language will do.

But the article says people are spending less time commuting, you may argue.

It's still an average of nearly one work week wasted each year, however. And those are hours you could spend more productively: watching bootleg copies of Avatar, trading sheep on Farmville, surreptitiously reading porn on your Kindle, sleeping, knitting if one is wont to knit - all things you can do on public transportation, by the way.

And here's a stat for the free-market capitalists among us:

"The overall cost of U.S. traffic congestion in 2007 reached $87.2 billion, more than $750 for every traveler."

Would somebody please think of the money, for God's sake! And mass transit is cost-effective. If you're on public transportation, you can be safely using your BlackBerry for work (or for selling crap on eBay - either way, bizness is gettin' done).

"The report urged state and federal governments to act now to develop highways or mass transit, since these programs can take 10 to 15 years to complete."

So why would we want to eliminate existing bus lines? Especially when The Report says we need more mass transit.

Short-Sighted Transit Proposal in a Nutshell

To close the gap created by a loss in outside revenue from Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority for Fairfax Connector operations in the Dulles Corridor, the budget proposal includes the following increase in fares and reductions in service:

◦A fare increase from $1.25 to $1.50 on the base fare.

◦Elimination of seven routes.

◦Creation of one route to replace a small portion of eliminated routes 552, 553, 554 and 557.

◦Reduction in the number of late-night trips, generally operating after 8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the route.

◦Elimination of Sunday service in the Dulles Corridor.

•The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a final FY 2011 budget on Apr. 27



You can do something!

Read about the proposed cuts.

Submit your comments online.

Sign up to speak at a public hearing April 4, 5 or 6.

Call the budget hotline: 703-324-9400.

Call your district supervisor (if you live in Fairfax County)

Why cutting Fairfax Connector service is a bad idea (reason 1 of 6)

Reason 1: Because people actually use these buses.

I ride either the 554 (which may be eliminated) or the 505 (which would pick up the slack from 7 eliminated routes).

Let me tell you, on many mornings, the trip from the Wiehle Avenue Park and Ride to the West Falls Church Metro reminds me of riding the chicken buses in Central America. It's standing room only (high heels=bad idea).

And sometimes there's no room for more. People at the bus stop are left behind (in the literal - not evangelical - sense, of course).

What we actually need are more buses, not less.

Short-Sighted Transit Proposal in a Nutshell

To close the gap created by a loss in outside revenue from Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority for Fairfax Connector operations in the Dulles Corridor, the budget proposal includes the following increase in fares and reductions in service:

◦A fare increase from $1.25 to $1.50 on the base fare.

◦Elimination of seven routes.

◦Creation of one route to replace a small portion of eliminated routes 552, 553, 554 and 557.

◦Reduction in the number of late-night trips, generally operating after 8:30 or 9 p.m., depending on the route.

◦Elimination of Sunday service in the Dulles Corridor.

•The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will adopt a final FY 2011 budget on Apr. 27



You can do something!

Read about the proposed cuts.

Submit your comments online.

Sign up to speak at a public hearing April 4, 5 or 6.

Call the budget hotline: 703-324-9400.

Call your district supervisor (if you live in Fairfax County).