Many people think parking is too expensive, especially those who use meters. But if you look at the larger pictures of global warming and national defense it is far too inexpensive.
Shopping centers, even strip malls of four or five stores, offer free parking. These are located all over a city of any size. Free parking is a disincentive to taking a bus. From the perspective of global warming, buses may pollute more than cars, but we need buses for those who can't or shouldn't drive. So, each car adds to the pollution. Also, each car adds to the oil we need to import, and oil wealth is supporting unstable nations and terrorists. What will the cost to our economy be when the next terrorist attack comes?
Even paid parking is too cheap. If I take the bus to a fitness center, it costs me $1.20 round-trip in non-peak hours. I can park on the street for $1.00 for an hour, and I get to come and go on my own schedule. I can park in the ramp for $1.25 for an hour or $1.75 for two hours. If one of my bus trips is in a peak hour, then my fare will be $1.85.
If my wife and I go together, then our combined fare is $2.40 or $3.70. Since we have a car already and it costs only a few pennies in fuel for the two-mile trip, why should we take the bus.
Even downtown parking is too cheap. One lot is $3.75 all day. One person driving alone would pay $2.50 for bus fare, but two would pay $5.00. Wouldn't trudging out to the street or garage in the snow to one's car be easier than trudging to the corner through the snow and worth the extra $1.25 per day?
Even if the weather is nice, one has to plan one's schedule around an every half-hour bus. Forget something as you leave your house and you are late for work.
See also my article "Cost sharing or cost shifting"?
