Metro News Release
For immediate release: April 30, 2009
Few bus service cuts for Metro riders
Metro Board decides against most Metrobus service adjustments
Most Metrobus riders will not face bus service cuts this summer after Metro’s Board decided to tap a reserve fund and move forward with fewer bus cuts in suburban Maryland and Alexandria to balance Metro’s fiscal 2010 budget.
Metrobus riders, mainly in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties but also in the District of Columbia, Alexandria, Arlington County and Falls Church, faced more than $13 million in bus service cuts. Board members decided today to use more than $13 million from a reserve fund, pay higher subsidies and cut about $3 million in bus service in Montgomery County, Md. and Alexandria, Va., to close a $29 million gap. Arlington County’s ART bus service also will take over operating the 22B and 24P routes.
“We’ve balanced the budget with minimal impact on riders,” said Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham. “More people are using transit these days to save money. It only makes sense to protect as many services as we can.”
Under the new budget plan, three routes would be eliminated, some service would be cut on a fourth route, one line would be restructured, one route would gain service and fares would increase on three routes. Metro riders who board the J7, J9 I-270 Express buses in Montgomery County and the W19 Indian Head Express in Prince George’s County would pay the $3.10 cash express fare or $3 with a SmarTrip card. Riders have been paying the regular $1.25 SmarTrip card fare or $1.35 cash fare for express service. The L7 (Connecticut Ave to Maryland line) route would be eliminated but extra buses would be added to the L8 route. The C7, C9 (Greenbelt to Glenmont) and some off-peak service on the Z2 (Colesville to Ashton) routes also would be eliminated. The 21 A, B, C, D and F (Landmark-Pentagon) routes would be consolidated into a single route.
Earlier this year, Metro announced it faced a $154 million shortfall for fiscal year 2010. Metro managers are already making $81 million in internal cuts, including eliminating 313 positions. The gap was reduced further by increasing revenue and cost savings estimates, leaving a $29 million budget gap. Metro budget managers have laid out several options for balancing the $1.3 billion proposed operating spending plan since January. The District of Columbia, City of Alexandria, Arlington County, City of Falls Church and the State of Maryland had proposed bus service cuts and adjustments that would have impacted 72 routes on 42 bus lines throughout the region with an average daily ridership of 60,000 trips. The governments also proposed subsidy increases to help balance the budget. Fairfax City and Fairfax County also proposed no service cuts.
Earlier this month, Metro held six public hearings in the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland and northern Virginia to get riders’ input on the changes. Comments were received from 2,679 people including 159 individuals who testified at the hearings. The vast majority were against the service changes, which included increasing the interval between bus arrival times on 28 routes region-wide and eliminating or restructuring 35 other bus routes, mostly in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland.
Due to the economic downturn, transit agencies around the country have been imposing fare increases, budget cuts and layoffs.
The cost of Metrobus, Metrorail and MetroAccess services is funded in part by passenger revenues and, in part, by subsidies provided by the District of Columbia, the State of Maryland and local jurisdictions in Virginia.
Metro’s Board is expected to take a final vote on the fiscal 2010 budget in June.
###
Media contact for this news release: Candace Smith and Lisa Farbstein at 202-962-1051.
News release issued at 3:57 pm, April 30, 2009.