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brodies t1_iu4ue14 wrote

Reply to comment by SchokoKipferl in Metro Exploring Short-Term Fare Hikes And Long-Term Fare Overhauls by Maxcactus

Technicality: it’s free to the kids, but Metro still gets paid. Kids Ride Free is a subsidy provided by the DC government—DC covers their fare. When the kids and teens don’t use their card, Metro isn’t getting money.

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LoganSquire t1_iu51yfo wrote

Seems like it would be a lot easier for DC to just increase their payment to Metro based on the estimates ridership.

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brodies t1_iu55hie wrote

My understanding is they can’t actually do that due to the structure of the compact between DC, VA, MD, and the Feds that created WMATA. If I understand it correctly, each jurisdiction’s funding is set by a formula, and they can’t unilaterally give more. As I understand it, that’s part of the rationale behind things like DC trying to give residents $100 in metro money: it’s a way to indirectly fund metro without violating the funding rules. That said, I’m repeating what I’ve read and been told by others; I haven’t actually read the compact to confirm this limitation is in it.

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