Friday, April 27, 2007

VTA plans to lower fares

With the latest proposal to lower fares, VTA is taking a U-turn from the old SVLG/Gonzales/Cipolla strategy of raising fares in an attempt to increase farebox recovery:

(to be effective September 2007)
Adult Day Pass
Current $5.25, Proposed $5.00

Express Day Pass
Current $10.50, Proposed $10.00

Youth Day Pass
Current $4.50, Proposed $4.00

Senior/Disabled Day Pass
Current $2.25, Proposed $2.00

Youth Monthly Pass
Current $49.00, Proposed $40.00

Senior/Disabled Monthly Pass
Current $26.00, Proposed $20.00

(to be effective July 2, 2007)
Community Bus single ride fare
Adult $1.00
Youth, Senior/Disabled $0.50

The proposed fare is a win for the low income, seniors, and disabled riders. For the past few years, these riders have been impacted financially (with transit service reduced as well) in order to fulfill SVLG/Gonzales/Cipolla's delusion of increasing farebox recovery rate (to help financially support the BART project). The new day pass fares will also simplify the fare payment process by rounding up to the dollar and eliminating the extra 25/50 cents needed at the farebox.

With many bus routes being shortened under the COA proposal, lower day pass fares and new community bus fares will help mitigate the fare inequality many riders face when transferring from one bus route to another or to light rail.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

even with these new fares, some people still get screwed. Consider someone going to Gavilian college in gilroy from Morgan Hill. They used to have a one-seat ride on the 68 but now are in a "two fare zone" with the forced transfer to a "community bus" in Gilroy.