Submitted by Ana from Hialeah, FL

Q: Larry, according to the new fare rise of $0.50 cents per full ride on any MDT system, what will transfers cost? $1.00? Or will they stay at the same price, $.50??? I find it outrageous to have to pay $6 dollars minimum a day (I take the bus and train to work downtown) for public transportation. Sometimes I make more than two train rides in a day. You can't purchase train transfers for when you ride the train more than twice in one day. It's tough as it is now for me to be able to afford the $75 monthly pass. I can't imagine being able to pay the $100 starting next month. As for the new system that will be implemented next year, how will that help me save money on fare??? Does it work like Sunpass, where you pay a lower toll fee for using Sunpass instead of the full fee?

Answered 09/17/08 15:57:03 by Larry Lebowitz

A: Ana: I need to doublecheck the answer on transfers. But my initial belief is that they aren't going to increase the transfers from bus to bus or rail to bus. The only ones that would increase are from Mover to Bus (which is essentially transferring from a free to a pay service). At this point, Miami-Dade Transit isn't discussing lower, discounted fares for people who use the farecard system vs. cash customers like SunPass. If you ride enough, the discount is in buying the monthly pass.

Submitted by Oscar from Miami Beach

Q: I'm 70 yo and have a Golden Pass.This increase does affect me in any way?.Do I have to pay any fare now?.Thank you for your answer.

Answered 09/17/08 15:44:13 by Larry Lebowitz

A: No. The Golden Passport rules for seniors are not affected by the fare increase that commissioners just ratified. You still qualify to ride for free.

Submitted by Daisy from Miami

Q: Are you and the commissioners aware that its not just the over-65 seniors who ride free, but that any one under 65 (and their children!) who receives SSI payments also get a golden pass and ride free?

Answered 09/16/08 14:55:58 by Larry Lebowitz

A: yes.

Submitted by cj coleman from pembroke pines fl.

Q: my husband and i are in our 70's and do not want to drive I-95 to the preforming arts center. Is it safe to take metro rail after 10P.M.? Tri-rail does not work because the last train leaves before the concert would be concluded.

Answered 07/02/08 18:43:15 by Larry Lebowitz

A: Metrorail is safe, but some stations are safer than others. Where do you intend on parking your car? If you prefer, instead of using this forum, you can send me an email directly at llebowitz@miamiherald.com

Submitted by Theodore from Miami

Q: What about crime on our transit system? Here's a short clip of a man screaming and carrying on at the metrorail station - and security was watching! http://youtube.com/watch?v=xpA35b0Sogc

Answered 06/18/08 13:15:00 by Larry Lebowitz

A: Well... that's an interesting video of a man screaming on the platform. Maybe I seem a tad callous here, but being annoying isn't a crime, even in Miami. That said, we could have a serious conversation about legitimate fears of a certain segment of the population that doesn't want to ride Metrorail or the buses for fear of too much interaction with the general public. It doesn't bug me much, but I spent a lot of time riding trains in other cities before moving to Florida, so I realize my threshold for this might be higher than the typical South Florida commuter.

Submitted by Jose V. from Miami FL

Q: To celebrate the season's premiere of James Lipton's "Inside the Actor's Studio" and since you will probably never be on that show (OK, so you have a Pulitzer to compensate) I thought you might answer the ten questions, originated by French television personality Bernard Pivot, which are always asked on the show: 1) What is your favorite word? 2) Least favorite word? 3) What turn you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? 4) Same as #3, but 'what turns you off?' 5) What sound or noise do you love? 6) What sound or noise do you hate? 7) What is your favorite curse word? (Can you answer on this forum?) 8)What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt? 9) What profession would you not like to do? 10) If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? (Now you have had a little bit of the Actor's Studio experience).

Answered 06/18/08 13:10:14 by Larry Lebowitz

A: 1. I don't have one. 2. I don't have one. 3. Quiet. 4. Noise. 5. Motown. 6. Rap. 7. I don't have one. 8. DJ 9. Anything physical or out of doors. 10. "Well done."

Submitted by bill from miami beach, fl

Q: larry i kind of skimmed Part 1 but I will go back and read it over again. I promise! Great job and Kudos to John VanBeekum for great photos! bill

Answered 06/09/08 14:53:58 by Larry Lebowitz

A: It's a very very very long story. But I promise all of your questions are answered there and in the sidebar about the CITT. Will pass along your regards to John Van Beekum, who did tremendous work on the photos, slideshows, and, to be honest, is largely responsible for coming up with the idea for this chat today.

Submitted by bill from miami beach, fl

Q: I looked at all the questiona and answers Larry and didn't see this one asked: When the county proposed the half cent tax they promised that if approved the money would not go towards the day-to-day operation of Transit. of course we know now that they lied. Where was the oversight, if any? forgive me if you answered this in your stories but perhaps you take some time to expand upon this. thanks bill

Answered 06/09/08 14:39:01 by Larry Lebowitz

A: That, in essence, is the story, Bill. The campaign promised one thing, but the ordinances that set up the tax said another. And one of the legal uses under a state law was operations. Where was the oversight? The Citizens Independent Transportation Trust that was also promised by the campaign was pretty much gutted, again, by the enabling ordinances that commissioners passed in July 2002 --- before the election. Go back and re-read the Sunday Day 1 installments. A lot of that material is in those stories.

Submitted by Sam

Q: Larry, I’m a MDT employee who works for the construction department (I’m an engineer) I work 8 hr’s a day 5 days a week; I made $ 66K last year. My question to you is, why do most tax payers (remember I one myself) think this is such a high salary? I pay almost $600.00 a month for health insurance for my family. My brother and cousin are both engineer’s for the private sector and make almost double my salary. I went to college got my degree etc. should I be making 25K-30K I don’t get it. Yes there are bus operator making more then I do but they work a lot of hr and at all times I’m sure theirs garbage men and construction workers that make more but I wouldn’t want to do that for nothing in this world!

Answered 06/09/08 14:20:16 by Larry Lebowitz

A: Sam: You make a valid point. I think there is a general perception out there that all county employees are incredibly well paid -- and have much better pension, health and college reimbursement plans than are available for commensurate work in the private sector. And I think a lot of people are stunned to find out that there are bus operators earning 100K a year (and working pantloads of overtime to get to that level). It's not always fair. But it's the way things are. I want to thank everyone who sent in questions --- including Mr. Sheckenstein from Aventura. I have to get back to work. There are more stories to report and write. If you have some more questions I'll try to get to them later. And there's talk that we might try to do this again next week either right before or right after the commission vote on fare increases and taxes. Larry Lebowitz

Submitted by Sebastian from Coral Gables

Q: Larry.. Wackenhut, the security services provider of Miami-Dade Transit, has allegedly overbilled the County more than $6 million since 2005. Additionally, nobody feels safe while using the Metrorail, Metromover or Metrobuses. Are there any plans to change contractors or bring the services in-house?

Answered 06/09/08 14:07:57 by Larry Lebowitz

A: Sebastian: Wackenhut was given 90 days to respond to the audit findings and either pay up or get out. I think the deadline is early August. The county has already sent out feelers to several local security firms to pick up the slack if they send Wackenhut packing. As for your comment that "nobody'' feels safe, I think that's a bit overstated --- but don't take it as a ringing endorsement of Wackenhut either. I ride the system regularly. There are some great, smart, decent people who ride the buses and trains, and there are some kooks. There are singing transvestites and urine-soaked homeless people staggering into sweet senior citizens and international bankers in bespoke suits. It's a big city transit system. You get a lot of people under the tent...