No 355?: Deadhead Trips for the 352

I thought I knew everything about Deadhead Trips, I was wrong.

I was looking at the most MBTA Service Plan because I'm calculating subsidy
{Subsidy = [cost - revenue]) as far as i understand it}

I came across a bus with ridiculously low ridership, the 355 which goes from Mishawum Commuter Rail Station to downtown. I'm still a little unclear why there needs to be a bus that does what the commuter rail does, but apparently 15 people (probably 7-8 people going round trip) who ride this bus everyday do.

It serves Cummings Industrial Park. Biotech. Au Bon Pain. And other crap.

355 Mishawum St. (Woburn) - Express to Downtown Boston:

This is a bus that serves 15 passengers a day.
Costs $434 a day to run with an average fare collected of $2.85. (before the fare increase, I assume)
resulting in a cost of $26.09 per passenger

so just for weekday travel, the bus costs (minus revenue) $101,751 a year.

Of course, for me, the point is not that money should be taken away from public transportation, but that people should use it. This is a commuter bus, it operates maybe twice a day for the purpose of bringing people to work. Highly infrequently. Stupid suburbs.

From the MBTA 2006 Service Plan Appendix:

"Due to the limited service provided by the Route 355, it fails the span, frequency and net cost/passenger standards. However, because three of the four Route 355 trips would be deadhead trips on Route 352 if the Route 355 were not operating, it is recommended that Route 355 not be changed. Route 355 also fails the schedule adherence standard. Because this route now operates using some GPS-equipped buses, as subsequent data become available, analysis of the run times will be conducted and additional changes introduced if warranted."

I assume a "Deadhead Trip" is a return trip to a bus depot without being in service.

well, the point of this post is lost on me. enjoy.

stupid suburbs.