Metro News Release
For immediate release: December 13, 2007
Metro Board approves first fare hike in four years
Metro fares are going up for the first time in four years. The transit agency's Board today approved raising bus and rail fares and parking fees beginning January 6, 2008, to help close a budget shortfall.
"We tried to come up with a fair policy," said Metro Board Chair Elizabeth Hewlett, who represents Maryland. "We tried not to hit any particular segment too hard."
Metrorail riders' rush hour fares will increase 30 to 75 cents depending upon the distance of their trip. The base fare will rise 30 cents from $1.35 to $1.65. Trips under 15 miles may increase as much as 75 cents. The maximum fare will increase from $3.90 to $4.50. Seniors will pay one-half of the regular peak fare. There are no increases for off-peak rail fares, or for MetroAccess.
Daily parking fees, which cost up to $4, will rise 75 cents for six months. The Metro Board also retained an option to increase parking fees by 25 cents in July 2008. Metered fees would rise from 25 cents to $1 per hour. Monthly reserved parking will increase $10 to $55. There will be no additional spaces set aside for reserved parking as was originally proposed by Metro staff last month.
The Metrobus fares will remain at $1.25 per trip if riders pay with a SmarTrip card. However, if bus riders pay with cash, the fare will increase by 10 cents from $1.25 to $1.35. Metro will give about 50,000 SmarTrip cards to local social service agencies in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia for free distribution to low-income bus riders to defray the cost of the $5 rechargeable fare cards.
Bus tokens, the one day bus pass and a multi-day rail pass, sold to people attending conventions, have been eliminated. Paper transfers will be eliminated in 2009. Passengers will continue to receive the transfer discounts, but only if they use a SmarTrip card. Transfers allow passengers to board more than one bus within two hours without paying an additional fare, or to transfer from rail to bus and receive a reduced bus fare. The bus-to-bus transfer would be extended to three hours.
Riders also will pay more for a variety of rail and bus passes.
Metro managers proposed the increase in September to help close the spending gap in the projected $1.3 billion operating budget for fiscal 2009, which begins in July 2008. The charges will raise a projected $109 million. Metro managers also are asking local governments to pay more to fund service next year.
"This fare increase isn't a luxury. It's a necessity," said Metro General Manager John Catoe. "If the Board did not act, the only option was to cut service, and nobody wants to see that, especially our customers."
The Board also agreed to consider changing fares every two years, beginning in July 2010. The changes would be tied to the Consumer Price Index.
"People need to have some certainty. Springing increases on people hurts," said Hewlett.
Metro held public hearings in November on a proposal that called for higher increases for parking and peak rail fares. Metro's average daily ridership is 1.2 million. Transit agency officials heard from 422 people during the public hearing process – most of whom opposed the increases.
"We heard them and did not increase fares as much as the proposal that went to public hearing," said Maryland Board Member Peter Benjamin.
The Metro Board voted 5 to 1 to approve the fare hike. Hewlett, Benjamin, Jim Graham and Emeka Moneme of D.C. and Chris Zimmerman of Arlington, Va., voted in favor of the increase. Dana Kauffman of Fairfax County, Va., voted against it.
The transit agency last raised fares in 2004.
"Fares have not kept pace with inflation," said Catoe. "In the last 12 years, base fares have risen 14 percent for bus and 23 percent for rail, while the overall inflation rate has been 37 percent."
Ridership has been growing slower than in previous years, while the inflationary costs of electricity, fuel, pay and benefits are rising up to 20 percent.
Facing a budget shortfall, Catoe made $34 million in internal cuts, including layoffs earlier this year.
Metro officials also have said the increased fares would help pay for operating more eight-car trains and buses, which improve reliability and ease overcrowding, and costs associated with maintaining an aging rail system.
Metro isn't alone in raising fares. Many large transit agencies, such as Los Angeles and Chicago have also hiked fares within the last two years.
Metro Public Hearing Fare Proposal
News release issued at 12:00 am, December 13, 2007.