It's a valid argument regardless of the base price.
Machines are generally cheaper than people. People like saving money more than they like talking to people. If given the choice they will almost always choose the machine, when they have to pay the price.
You also have to figure in what the savings actually are. For the railways in England, the staff costs (all of them - from signallers to drivers, maintenance workers, cleaners, guards, ticket office staff) are 20% of the cost of running the railway. Getting rid of a relatively small number of the worst paid staff on the railway will not do much to reduce the cost of running the railway - certainly not £5 per ticket’s worth, and the very small overall savings will not get passed on to the customers anyway.
Getting rid of a relatively small number of the worst paid staff on the railway will
Still save a significant chunk of money because people are still very expensive and ticket staff work 24/7.
certainly not £5 per ticket’s worth, and the very small overall savings will not get passed on to the customers anyway.
They almost certainly will be in one form or another. Even if the railroad keeps every dime the extra productivity in the economy you get from people not working as ticket staff will lead to improvements across the board.
When i'm doing the standard thing I always do I prefer the machines. There are more of them so no lines and thus faster. When things get weird though a human can figure out what I really need and serve me faster.
This so much, nine times out of ten I know what I want and need and the ticket machine is best. But if I am doing something a bit strange the ticket office is used to make sure I get the right (and cheapest) option.
Mex@feddit.uk 1 year ago
We already have some of the most expensive trains in Europe. I don’t think this really a valid argument.
bioemerl@kbin.social 1 year ago
It's a valid argument regardless of the base price.
Machines are generally cheaper than people. People like saving money more than they like talking to people. If given the choice they will almost always choose the machine, when they have to pay the price.
mackwinston@feddit.uk 1 year ago
You also have to figure in what the savings actually are. For the railways in England, the staff costs (all of them - from signallers to drivers, maintenance workers, cleaners, guards, ticket office staff) are 20% of the cost of running the railway. Getting rid of a relatively small number of the worst paid staff on the railway will not do much to reduce the cost of running the railway - certainly not £5 per ticket’s worth, and the very small overall savings will not get passed on to the customers anyway.
bioemerl@kbin.social 1 year ago
Still save a significant chunk of money because people are still very expensive and ticket staff work 24/7.
They almost certainly will be in one form or another. Even if the railroad keeps every dime the extra productivity in the economy you get from people not working as ticket staff will lead to improvements across the board.
bluGill@kbin.social 1 year ago
When i'm doing the standard thing I always do I prefer the machines. There are more of them so no lines and thus faster. When things get weird though a human can figure out what I really need and serve me faster.
Mex@feddit.uk 1 year ago
This so much, nine times out of ten I know what I want and need and the ticket machine is best. But if I am doing something a bit strange the ticket office is used to make sure I get the right (and cheapest) option.