http://cptv.vo.llnwd.net/o2/ypmwebcontent/Neena/ns%20121116%20rantrail.mp3
Metro-North ridership is at its highest ever in Connecticut, but for many of these new passengers, driving – and parking – are still a part of their daily commute.
Haubert says he got these tickets because the parking payment machines at the Stratford train station weren’t working for several weeks. So instead of paying $5 a day for parking, commuters got a $5 parking ticket every day – but since most of them pay it online, the price jumps up because of a $3.50 convenience fee. The difference adds up after a few weeks. And it’s frustrating.
A spokesman from the Stratford mayor’s office said the payment machines have finally been fixed. Meanwhile, the town is working with the state to add 400 surface parking spaces near the train station in the future – but for now, Haubert still has to fight for a spot every day. He’s on the waiting list for a monthly parking permit, but he’s not sure how long that’ll take. His call to the guy in charge at Stratford’s railroad office wasn’t that helpful.
After talking to his neighbors, Haubert says, it probably means he has something like a three-year wait for a monthly permit. If he lived in other small towns along I-95 like Darien or Westport, the wait could be twice as long.