Hiawatha Line Service Standards

I viewed the June, 2008 SDEIS for the Central Corridor Line today, which speaks of meeting the needs of low income people, and does not address the needs of moderate to high income people. I wonder if the Metropolitan Council actually wants their lines to be of value to the general public, or would prefer to exclusively serve low income riders, grateful if a train merely arrives.

BART, San Francisco Bay area, was taking about adding WiFi access to their trains and train stations in the early 2000's. Internet access, enclosed shelter and similar needs would be discussed thoroughly in the SDEIS if it was not assumed that the only people who will use the train are those who have no alternative.

2000 Census data and rider surveys indicate high percentages of students and low income people along the line, but as gas prices increase, more people are riding for economic reasons. There is also an increasing cohort of environmentally conscious people who ride transit to reduce green house emissions.

But, the three most recent experiences that my family has had with the Hiawatha Line indicate that Metro Transit is doing their best to discourage new riders:

February 2, 2008, 6 p.m., Downtown Minneapolis, following the Barack Obama Rally at the Target Center
long lines for tickets; three trains pass before I am to the front of the line; the automated ticket printer has run out of paper; I use the Hiawatha line without a ticket

April 17, 2008, 6 p.m., Franklin Avenue Station, preceding a Twins game
ticket machine will not accept bills, only coins; kids ask for quarters but we have none; I am with an employee of Metro Council, so he tells me that I can ride the train on his word

July 2008, 10 p.m., Downtown Minneapolis:
attempt to enter train at terminus, but door never opens; enter the next train when it lets off people and wait 15 minutes for it to move; train stops for each downtown Minneapolis light; train goes past the Metrodome just following a Twins game; transit worker pushes people onto the train which is filled to capacity and says "this is what mass transit is like"

If these are the service standards we can expect from the Central Corridor, my family is better off with buses.