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An Examiner story by Kytja Weir on the impending fare increases for some Anacostia bus riders has me puzzling:
[T]he union that represents bus drivers voiced worries that the agency hasn’t done enough to let riders know they will be expected to pay up to 70 cents more for each trip. Union members on Tuesday passed out fliers so riders aren’t blindsided by the change. The idea was to help the riders who rely on the 19 bus lines — but also to protect the drivers.
After all, Metrobus operators have been yelled at, spit upon, slugged and even had guns pointed at their heads.
Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the transit agency has printed fliers of its own and was in the process of getting them out to the affected bus lines to alert riders.
When Metrobus operator Michael Greene handed out the union fliers at the bus shelters outside the Anacostia station Tuesday afternoon, some riders were clearly surprised. Several looked at the sheet and cursed.
I can understand the appeal of passing out fliers, but isn’t there a better (less…cold?) way of letting people know that their fares will be going up so dramatically? Robocalls? Twitter? I don’t know. Something about this just strikes me as terribly impersonal, especially when it will make a huge difference for the people who use the affected bus lines. Or maybe, there’s just no good way of doing it.