Transit-fare hikes becoming norm
By: Mike Aldax
March 18, 2009
 |
| More money: Muni is already planning to increase the cost of its monthly Fast Pass from $45 to $55, but Municipal Transportation Agency directors say that’s not enough. (Examiner file photo) |
|
|
SAN FRANCISCO — The cost of commuting is creeping up.
Agencies across the Bay Area have either increased the price of their service or are planning to do so as they struggle to make ends meet.
BART has warned that it may be increasing ticket prices in July, Caltrain began charging an extra 25 cents in January for trips and last week AC Transit also decided to charge an extra quarter for regular adult fares.
Drivers have not avoided price hikes either, with all eight Bay Area toll bridges enforcing dollar increases. There’s even a suggestion to raise the toll for carpoolers on all crossings except the Golden Gate Bridge, which is the most expensive at $6 for a southbound trip.
Now Muni, which transports about 700,000 riders daily, is the latest transit agency to lean toward increasing its price, with members of its board on Tuesday saying they should look at raising fares in the coming year to close a $129 million projected budget gap.
The options are to raise the Fast Pass price another $5 and to hike single-fare ticket prices by as much as 50 cents, or $2 per trip, in order to close the projected budget deficit. The price of a Fast Pass is already set to increase from $45 to $55 in July.
“I strongly would favor increasing the single-ride cash fare,” Director Malcolm Heinicke said Tuesday.
Muni points to the same problems as other transit agencies when explaining why it needs to turn to its riders for revenue: The recession has cut state transit funding significantly and dwindled public transportation’s portion of regional tax revenue.
Director Cameron Beach agreed that the Municipal Transportation Agency, which oversees Muni, needs “to take a good, hard look at raising our cash fares.”
“We’ve always had the lowest fares in the Bay Area — not only in the Bay Area but the U.S.,” said Director Bruce Oka. “Had we kept up with the rest of the country, we wouldn’t be in the state we are in now.”
Riders have mixed reactions on transit-fare increases.
Terri Larson, 32, a Sunset district resident, said she will “have a hard time coming up with another $15 each month” for a Muni Fast Pass, and said higher fares will drive away riders. Brent Baumgartner of Menlo Park said he’d rather pay an extra 25 cents for his Caltrain ride into The City than see the frequency of train service cut.
Irwin Lum, head of Muni’s worker union, proposed Thursday charging riders for Muni transfers as a way to grab more revenue.
Bay Area transit agencies dig into riders’ pockets
Transit Agency Fare increases, other proposed actions
Muni:
Increasing Fast Pass to $55 in July; considering charging $60 next year and $2 (from $1.50) for single rides
BART:
Considering fare increase of as much as 10 percent next year and cutting off-peak service
Caltrain:
Increased base fares by 25 cents in January
SamTrans:
Increased adult local fares 25 cents to $1.75 in February, and express cash one-way fares 50 cents to $4.50
Source: Transportation for America
