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Letters to the Editor

Regional Transit needs to figure it out

Sacramento’s Regional Transit opened the Green Line in 2012 at a cost of $44 million. Now, four years later, RT officials are recommending closing the line indefinitely.
Sacramento’s Regional Transit opened the Green Line in 2012 at a cost of $44 million. Now, four years later, RT officials are recommending closing the line indefinitely. Sacramento Bee file

RT takes lazy approach

Re “Light-rail lines may be shut as RT cuts” (Page 1A, May 21): Regional Transit reminds me of a lazy teenager putting in minimal effort to get what he wants, hoping Mom and Dad (aka, taxpayers) will eventually pick up the tab.

RT wants to increase ridership, decrease costs and extend service but has done little to make it happen. We “parents” have said, “Clean your room” (cars and stations). RT said he would, but we have yet to see results. We said, “Stop your freeloading friends” (riders who don’t buy tickets). He painted a line and told his friends not to cross it. How well is that working?

He said he could decrease expenses by eliminating “some administrative” friends to save $2 million a year. How many friends does he have and how much does he pay them?

When he wanted to extend service to Township 9, we questioned whether it would be used. We gave in and built the line to Township 9, an area with few businesses and minimal housing.

It seems RT has its wants and needs mixed up. Wanting things to get better hasn’t worked. It’s time to step back, see what riders really want and what is needed to make that happen. We’re tired of paying for something that doesn’t work.

Connie Clark, Sacramento

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This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Regional Transit needs to figure it out."

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