Metro to Boost Bike Locker Fees 185%

Photo courtesy of
‘Bikestation’
courtesy of ‘Dendroica cerulea’

The news came this afternoon from Wash Cycle that Metro is considering a proposal to increase fees by 185% for its bicycle lockers at various Metro stations from $70 a year to $200 a year. The increase would make it, per square foot, more expensive to store a bicycle than it would be to store a car in one of the WMATA garages.

While Metro’s certainly in a hard place financially, is almost tripling the fees of cyclists who ride to Metro the way to handle things? Surely $70 was too low, but trebling the cost? We’ve asked Metro what their argument was for such a dramatic hike. We’ll let you know what they say.

Update: Metro’s Doug Karas sent on the budget for FY2011 (which did confirm the hike), but wrote: Ultimately, the Board will decide what will go on the docket for public hearing. So any changes will be announced officially. I am sure if such a change is being considered it will be discussed at a Board or Committee meeting.

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.

Facebook Twitter Flickr 

4 thoughts on “Metro to Boost Bike Locker Fees 185%

  1. It will still be well under $20 a month. As someone who had 2 locked up bicycles stolen outside metro stations, well worth the price.

  2. Ha! Well I was wondering – do I rent a locker – do I buy a folding bike – do I buy a new, maybe electric bike. Thanks WMATA for making my decision easy.

    Is this one of those bone headed bureaucratic decisions to raise revenue by raising prices — that ends up decreasing revenue by decreasing demand????

  3. Hard to tell, Bob, but it certainly could. Some stations, though, have lengthy waiting lists, and this may clear the rolls for new people willing to pay the new prices.

  4. Look, we know Metro need money. I say there is no reason why Metro should raise fairs by any percentage more than car parking. In fact, bike storage takes considerably fewer resources to maintain over the course of the year than parking lots, if one realizes all the salt, plowing and toll maintenance that’s required for cars. Those maintenance issues for snow removal alone should be the incentive for charging much more for car parking. It’s insane to charge 183% more for bike parking. Tom, if you hear about any date that metro will have public hearings on this matter, please post, as I will be one of the first in line to voice my disapproval for these increases.