Wallets Opening: Metro Decides on Fare Hike

WASHINGTON -- Metro's Board of Directors are putting the wheels in motion for a fare increase.

After weeks of at times a heated debate, the board on Thursday decided on numbers to present to the public. However, the board stressed the that current cost breakdown is only for public comment and will most likely decrease.

The proposed increases are:

• Peak rail service would increase 30 cents from $1.35 to $1.65
• There will be no fare increase for off-peak rail service.
• The maximum rail fare would increase 80 cents to $4.70
• Bus fares would increase 10 cents, but only for passengers paying cash. (SmarTrip users will see no change in their fares.)
• Parking at Metro lots would increase $1.15
• There will be no change for MetroAccess Service.

Metro will move forward with the public comment process and will most likely hold meetings in mid-November.

After the meetings, Metro will analyze the information from the public and make a final decision on a fare increase. The fare increase could go into effect at the beginning of January.

At Thursday's meeting, board members battled back and forth and at one point, seemed as if they would postpone the discussion of fare hikes until the next fiscal year. However, after a five-minute break, they reached an agreement.

Representatives from the District proposed not to raise bus fares, saying too many of their low-income riders would be affected, and said they would not budge from their position.

Eventually, the District agreed to allow the 10-cent, cash only increase for buses to be presented to the public.

"We think this is a good victory for bus riders," Metro Board member and D.C. Councilman Jim Graham says. "But [it is] also fair for the region because we have also reduced the maximum on the parking [and] the maximum on the peak fares."

If the board had not agreed upon numbers to be presented to the public, a fare increase most likely would have been tabled until July, when Metro's next fiscal year begins.

The increase would have been higher and there was also talk of possible service cuts to make up for money that would have been lost.

Metro General Manager John Catoe reminded the board that it would cost the transit agency $6 million for every month the fare hike did not go into effect.

(Copyright 2007 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)