fares – hikes, fareless
Streetsblog LA
APTA Metro Review: Raise Fares, Consolidate Service, Charge For Parking
When the Metro board approved fare hikes last May, it also directed Metro to engage experts from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) to study Metro's fares and look into other revenue strategies. APTA experts completed their review recently, and presented their findings at last week's Metro board meeting. Though the APTA review recommended approving Metro's proposed fare increases, many of their findings contrast somewhat with present Metro policies.
March 30, 2015
3 Months After Metro Fare Increase: Revenue Up 7.7%, Ridership Down 4.4%
Metro released its latest Quarterly Financial Update [PDF] at this week's Finance Committee meeting. The report gives an early glance at the impacts of Metro's mid-September 2014 fare increases.
January 16, 2015
Metro Fare Increase Postponed, Will Take Effect September 15th
In a change that's more procedural than policy-driven, Metro has slightly postponed its fare increase that had been approved for September 1. The new fares will take effect on Monday, September 15th.
July 29, 2014
Metro Approves 25 Cent Base Fare Increase To $1.75 In September 2014
Just over four hours into its marathon monthly board meeting, the Metro Board of Directors approved its much debated fare increase. Metro's base transit fare will increase from $1.50 to $1.75 in September 2014. Weekly and monthly passes, and senior and disabled fares will also undergo similar increases. The fare increase motion passed with twelve in favor. County Supervisor Gloria Molina was the only board member voting opposed.
May 22, 2014
County Education Coordinating Council Calls for Free Metro Student Pass
Tomorrow, the Metro Board is voting on fare increases. Under the Metro staff recommendation, Metro's base transit fare would go from $1.50 to $1.75 in 2014. That's a 17% increase. Metro's student fare would go from $1 to $1.25 in 2014. That's a 25% increase.
May 21, 2014
Metro Fare Increase Modification Motion by Garcetti, Zev, and MRT
Just when it looked like this Thursday's Metro board meeting would just see its high-stakes up-or-down vote on proposed fare increases, a new wrinkle emerges: a new Metro board motion [pdf] by Mayor Eric Garcetti and Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Mark Ridley-Thomas. The bottom line on the motion is that a 25-cent fare increase would go forward for September 2014, but with some relatively positive strings attached.
May 20, 2014
L.A. Clergy Speak and Pray Against Proposed Metro Fare Increase
At its regular monthly meeting this Thursday, May 22nd, 2014, the Metro board of directors will vote on its proposed fare increase. If approved, bus and rail base fare will increase 25 cents in September, and will continue to rise automatically in years ahead.
May 19, 2014
Metro Memo Quietly Responds to Board and Public Fare Increase Concerns
On March 29th, Metro held a public hearing on its proposal to restructure fares. At that meeting, I presented the position of Southern California Transit Advocates.
May 13, 2014
Editorial: Why Raise Fares When Metro’s Building Even More Free Parking?
A couple of weeks ago, I posted an editorial asking Why Raise Metro Fares While Giving Away Metro Parking? At the time, I totaled parking for Metro's BRT and rail lines at 19,450 parking spaces. Despite Metro's plan to increase transit fares, the agency has no plan to increase parking charges. Metro gives more than 9 out of 10 spaces away for free. I did a conservative estimate of Metro's parking revenue potential to be at least $3.5 million per year.
April 15, 2014
Opposition and Confrontation at Metro Fare Increase Hearing
On Saturday, Metro held a public hearing on proposed changes to its fare policy. Metro is proposing to raise its $1.50 base transit fare to $1.75 starting September 2014. From there, it would be raised again to $2.00 in 2017, and to $2.25 in 2020. This would include a 90-minute free transfer, but only when the fare is paid using a TAP card.
March 31, 2014