I've been looking over Madison Metro's financial report. What is most apparent when you look at the monthly revenues from ticket sales and bus passes is the lack of any discernible pattern or trend. Somebody with superior analytical skills than me is necessary to understand why the hell people ride the bus some months and not others.
If we exclude UW ASM passes and UW employee passes, the picture is very confusing. Why is there considerably more revenue from cash fares, day passes and 10 day passes in June than July or August, the two hottest months of the year? Why is there greater revenue in May than April? Is it because the weather is more beautiful and people want to go for a walk?
What about the winter? The weather is already sufficiently miserable in November, but revenue from 31 day passes increases almost 100 percent in December, and then drops 50 percent in January. The monthly passes then increase slightly in February and March.
Take a look for yourself. See if you can figure anything out. Keep in mind that UW and MATC students are not as big factors as you might think. Most of their impact is shown in the free bus passes they get as students. If they're too lazy to get one of those, then they're probably using a cash fare. Only a complete moron would forgo the UW pass and get a monthly or 10 day pass (or if you lose your UW pass).
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