I was unhappy when route 194 was cancelled to force people onto the toy trains so they could travel between the airport and downtown for a higher fare, through sketchy parts of town, in about the same amount of time.
After commuting on the light rail for the last 8 months and on buses for the last 8 years, I have finally decided that it's no longer worth the time and hassle to use public transportation. Why? Fare enforcement on the light rail is appalling. Instead of an automated gated access to the trains, the system relies on "random" checks by power-mad fare enforcement officers who seem to get a kick out of harassing passengers, especially ones who are non-Caucasian. The system seems designed to confuse passengers and perpetuate a police state (Why are we paying for an additional Sound Transit police force?).
After regular demands to "show my papers" on 3-6 trips a week during my commute, I had become numb to the process. The first time the handheld card reader failed to recognize my ORCA pass is the last time I plan to ever ride the train. After being accused of various offenses (like tagging my card too many times or not tagging it properly at the proper terminal), the fare enforcement officers began asking inappropriate questions, fishing for information not relevant to the task at hand (asking for my social security number was the final straw). The most frustrating part was being treated like a major criminal over a technical glitch on a train ride that costs $2.75, when I had just put more than $100 on my ORCA card 2 days before.
The after-work southbound trains are regularly crowded with barely enough room to stand; fare enforcement only seems to occur when the cars are less than half full. If you're packed in a train going to or coming from a sporting event, you're unlikely to see anyone checking fares.
Sorry Sound Transit, but your short-sighted and heavy-handed enforcement techniques have resulted in 1 less regular commuter. Since I've stopped commuting on public transportation, I save 30-45 minutes each direction, despite traffic. I used to be a staunch advocate for public transportation, but this last experience has forever soured my view of the system - I can only imagine how unpleasant this would be for a tourist or other visitor. Until the system is fixed to eliminate the surveillance and fare enforcement, I'll be a happy single-occupant commuter with an extra 5-7 hours each week of quality time to spend with my family. read more