President Fernandez and the switch.
Santo Domingo. - “What began with a dream is today a reality” was one of the official mottos used in the ads to inaugurate the Santo Domingo Metro, whose original projection was of 200,000 passengers daily.
But in reality the modern, fast, mass transit system, with a RD$20 fare for the 20 minute ride on the entire North-South route linking the populated barrio Villa Notch with downtown La Feria has come up short.
Also part of president Leonel Fernandez’s dream of a “Little New York” in his first term in office, it barely mobilizes an average of 50,643 passengers daily.
Compared with the estimated 200,000 when the project was designed, the figure is just 25% of the expected flow. And compared with the new and trimmed projection of 175,000 passengers daily disclosed when inaugurated, then it’s only 29%.
The main blame for the Metro’s low demand is the lack of feeder routes and to the fact that the mega project was built before structuring Santo Domingo’s commuter transport.
According to Hamlet Herman, the first director and founder of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (AMET), the Metro was built like a well, begun from above.
SOURCE: clavedigital.com
Written by: Gringo_1, 7 Sep 2009 10:57 AM
From: Dominican Republic, Maimon (Bonao)
Of course, if they did a feasibility study first this would have been known. I wonder how much this pork barrel loses each month? Anyone have any idea?
From: United States, Brooklyn
So lets put a rush on the Feeder routes, and a delay on the Second line of the Metro to fix this problem.
From: United States, Brooklyn
So lets put a rush on the Feeder routes, and a delay on the Second line of the Metro to fix this problem.
Written by: mrios, 7 Sep 2009 1:11 PM
From: United States
Is that LF at the controls ?
Does this mean the Metro will be Scaped ?
Doe's this also mean the Electricity saved will then be put back into Grid ?
Written by: juanb, 7 Sep 2009 2:04 PM
From: Dominican Republic
The transport unions are against the feeder routes. What they want, sadly, they get.
Josean must be out somewhere showing off his old comments, or buying drinks.
Written by: antonioj, 7 Sep 2009 4:00 PM
From: Canada, home safe
Give josean the credit that he deserves, he has been predicted that all along to the chagrin of alot of us, the planning was very poor.
Written by: THINK, 7 Sep 2009 4:17 PM
From: United States, SDQ -- Mia --NY
The failure of METRO will never surprised me. Because so many reasons:
1. Feasibility study as mentioned by Grigo_1.
2. DR is not in the level for the subway train yet., so many infrastructures are not ready yet.
3. Take a look on those developed countries with Subway built already., can you name which one is making money or just balance the budget?
4. The Metro is only 20 min. ride., it does not help the need for the commuters.
5. Capacity of the maintenance later on., it will be a big problems (I believe so)., just take a look of these public constructions ., then you will agree.
Bottom line is: how much commissions have been taken by different authorities? That's the reason why the METRO need to be done even with so many voices against that project.
DR has so many other important things need to be done than the Metro.
Palante., PLD.
Written by: anthonyC, 7 Sep 2009 5:41 PM
From: United States
The NY Subways suffered from low ridership for years when they were first built. give it time
Written by: manny123, 7 Sep 2009 10:47 PM
From: Dominican Republic
It looks like its very difficult to built anything in DR. is like damn if you do, damn if you don't.
Written by: xwill7, 8 Sep 2009 10:29 AM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
Add the supporting routes. The gov should step over the union
Written by: josean, 8 Sep 2009 10:57 AM
From: United States
The Metro has succeeded at one thing and at one thing only; it has exposed Lie-onel Fernandez as just another empty suit, corrupt politician who will say and do anything to stay in power. It has also succeeded in exposing the PLD as just another political mafia that will sink the country to keep their political patronage, nepotism and privileges.
The super modern cadre of young PLD “intellectuals” who where going to revolutionize the Dominican Republic just turned out to be another group of scoundrels with better tailored suits, shinier jeepetas and a more flowery speeches and rhetoric.
The Metro fiasco could also possible create the conditions for Guillermo Moreno to win 2012!
From: United States, Brooklyn
I am surprise that Josean hasn't responded on this pages....
From: United States
anthonyc, the metro is not a fad like the hula hoop. it does not need time for people to catch on. it responds to the dictates of geographic information studies. those were not done in this case. you cannot make simplistic comparisons between NYC and Santo Domingo. the first reason being strict zoning laws in the states which place certain businesses far away from population centers, hence creating the need for mass transportation.
Written by: mrios, 8 Sep 2009 9:18 PM
From: United States
Dreadlocks,
Great point, one would think the DR never thought of that before, besides can one say TREMORS EARTHQUAKES, my Family in the DR are scared S%#$ Less of the idea being trapped in a Earthquake or massive flooding while on the Metro. To Me they should have gone the Monorail route safer, maintenance ease and cost effect.
Written by: devin11, 8 Sep 2009 9:43 PM
From: United States, The Greatest City
The NYC subways have always lost money, from the very first days of the system to this last fiscal year. Commuter rail transportation is a money losing endeavor in every single area where it exists, the world over. The only reason they are at all practical despite the revenue loss is to attract business opportunities that could be served with a commuting public, thus creating a financial cycle of monies from the companies and their employership to the rail proving city. There were posters here that believed that the DR system would circumvent the commuter rail fiscal realities and be a roaring economic and social success despite world precedence. No one cared about the logistics and comparative studies that are so vital in taking on these incredibly expensive projects, too much graft money to be made to worry about those "detractions". This project was one of the worst financial crimes ever perpatrated upon the Dominican people. An absolute shame.
Written by: shorty, 9 Sep 2009 3:59 AM
From: Canada
seems to be as popular as the Las Vegas Monorail.....bankruptcy looms over it like a vulture over roadkill
Written by: josean, 9 Sep 2009 10:50 AM
From: United States
"This project was one of the worst financial crimes ever perpatrated upon the Dominican people. An absolute shame."
devin 11 you have said it all!
If people in the DR and the worldwide diaspora understood this simple and powerful FACT maybe we could bring real fundemental change to the republic, and never again would we elect charlatans and snake oil salesmen/women to govern us!
From: United States
I rode the metro back in April. It's beautiful and smooth! I hope more people try it.
From: United States
Devin, i bow to your sagacity. besides, you are on my side of tha argument.lol
Written by: josean, 10 Sep 2009 3:31 PM
From: United States
dread,
Sooner or later they all see the Metro, oops I mean the light, well not the one from El Faro de Colon, but you get what I mean.
From: United States
josean, here is the rub. if they projected the subsidies for the metro based on farebox receipts from 200,000 persons per day, simple math shows that there will be a 1.7 BILLION peso shortfall each year. well, the money has to come from somewhere. so, another public budget will be hijacked. by the way, i wonder what all the nincompoops who believed that the private sector will fund the next lines will be thinking now. you see, guys, when a private firm loses 2 billion pesos a year, there are no subsidies to turn to!!
Written by: antonioj, 11 Sep 2009 7:18 PM
From: Canada, home safe
dreadlocks please enlight a poor soul like me. Are you saying with certitude, that the metro have a potential to become a white elephant and the reason for it was poor planning and gross exaggeration of the ridership numbers. The next metro line they build I hope they turn to Josean and your services
From: United States
antonio, my academic training is as a project analyst. that is what i specialise in, when i get the chance. you plan a project, i tell you its chances to succeed, or, in this case, to fail. i have said from day one that this will be a line which will carry less than 100,000 per day. i had figured around 60,000 at best. in one article i wrote, i gave it a 40,000 possibility. i still maintain that it has a slim to none chance of seeing 100,000 let alone twice that figure
Written by: josean, 12 Sep 2009 1:37 PM
From: United States
antonioj,
I am just a big mouth, ditch digging campesino with a little commonsense at best, But I can keep the Presidente on ice while I fry some chicharrones will you and dread figure out how to get us out of this mess called METROLANDIA!
From: United States
sorry, Josean. do not pawn this one off on me. it is not as though i supported it from day one. there is no immediate solution. not even making it free. they tried that in Puerto Rico and it did not make much of a difference. repeat after me: Geographic Information Studies.
Written by: josean, 12 Sep 2009 2:35 PM
From: United States
dread,
You can’t fault a guy for trying.
Maybe Lie-onel Fernandez can use the METRO for a series of Whistle Stop Tours, no that wouldn’t work it only covers 14 km., well I give up!
The "Chicharron Express" appears to be hopeless at the moment!
From: United States
at the moment? in the world of demographic dynamics, moments are usually very long.
From: Dominican Republic
The SD Metro Line 1 alone is averagin 90,000 riders a day per week. build at a record low cost of US$50 million per km and with the most advanced rail technologies available to date. Not only was it a complete success but the second line is under construction now, which will create a least an over 50% jump on ridership average per week on the existing Line 1.
Already during peak hours the trains arrive almost full from station to station, forcing riders to squeeze in the packed cars. Since the Line 1 only has 17 train sets in operations, it has been concluded that the maximum configuration of 6 cars would be needed once Lines 2 and 3 enter operations, or face dangerously crowed platforms and delays to passengers.
The Dominican gov is not dropping the subsidy to the Line one, since it's using the funds it creates to pay for ongoing work on the new Line 2, thereby avoiding having to expose their complete budget to oppositors that seek to derail the new transport system in the DR.
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So lets put a rush on the Feeder routes, and a delay on the Second line of the Metro to fix this problem.
So lets put a rush on the Feeder routes, and a delay on the Second line of the Metro to fix this problem.
Does this mean the Metro will be Scaped ?
Doe's this also mean the Electricity saved will then be put back into Grid ?
Josean must be out somewhere showing off his old comments, or buying drinks.
1. Feasibility study as mentioned by Grigo_1.
2. DR is not in the level for the subway train yet., so many infrastructures are not ready yet.
3. Take a look on those developed countries with Subway built already., can you name which one is making money or just balance the budget?
4. The Metro is only 20 min. ride., it does not help the need for the commuters.
5. Capacity of the maintenance later on., it will be a big problems (I believe so)., just take a look of these public constructions ., then you will agree.
Bottom line is: how much commissions have been taken by different authorities? That's the reason why the METRO need to be done even with so many voices against that project.
DR has so many other important things need to be done than the Metro.
Palante., PLD.
The super modern cadre of young PLD “intellectuals” who where going to revolutionize the Dominican Republic just turned out to be another group of scoundrels with better tailored suits, shinier jeepetas and a more flowery speeches and rhetoric.
The Metro fiasco could also possible create the conditions for Guillermo Moreno to win 2012!
I am surprise that Josean hasn't responded on this pages....
Great point, one would think the DR never thought of that before, besides can one say TREMORS EARTHQUAKES, my Family in the DR are scared S%#$ Less of the idea being trapped in a Earthquake or massive flooding while on the Metro. To Me they should have gone the Monorail route safer, maintenance ease and cost effect.
devin 11 you have said it all!
If people in the DR and the worldwide diaspora understood this simple and powerful FACT maybe we could bring real fundemental change to the republic, and never again would we elect charlatans and snake oil salesmen/women to govern us!
Sooner or later they all see the Metro, oops I mean the light, well not the one from El Faro de Colon, but you get what I mean.
I am just a big mouth, ditch digging campesino with a little commonsense at best, But I can keep the Presidente on ice while I fry some chicharrones will you and dread figure out how to get us out of this mess called METROLANDIA!
You can’t fault a guy for trying.
Maybe Lie-onel Fernandez can use the METRO for a series of Whistle Stop Tours, no that wouldn’t work it only covers 14 km., well I give up!
The "Chicharron Express" appears to be hopeless at the moment!
Already during peak hours the trains arrive almost full from station to station, forcing riders to squeeze in the packed cars. Since the Line 1 only has 17 train sets in operations, it has been concluded that the maximum configuration of 6 cars would be needed once Lines 2 and 3 enter operations, or face dangerously crowed platforms and delays to passengers.
The Dominican gov is not dropping the subsidy to the Line one, since it's using the funds it creates to pay for ongoing work on the new Line 2, thereby avoiding having to expose their complete budget to oppositors that seek to derail the new transport system in the DR.