Transit: from cheapest to cheaper?
by Fresh EnergyBy Elena Velkov, media relations coordinator, Fresh Energy
Metro area residents who use transit on a regular basis can see increased ridership with their own eyes. More people frequent the bus stops, bodies pack the buses during rush hour, and the crowds sometimes force people to stand. When I was one of a dozen people standing on the bus ride home last week, I asked my co-worker and fellow transit rider what happened. She put it well, saying, “Four dollar gas happened.”
This, of course, is a trend throughout the nation. The American Public Transportation Association shows that national transit ridership is up 3 percent, and light-rail use is up 10 percent according to USA Today. The Twin Cities’ Metropolitan Council says that ridership is the highest it has been in 25 years.
Great for air quality. Great for traffic flow. Not so great for transit fares.
With increased ridership, the Met Council is proposing increased fares. If approved, that would mean 25 cents more per ride and extended rush hour fares. This would go into effect October 1, but fares would be susceptible to further increases in 2009 according to Minnesota Public Radio.
Transit for Livable Communities has been particularly vocal about the fare increases and suggests the Met Council tap into the reserve funds to hold off on the increases. The public hearings are over but public comments are welcome until July 25. To weigh in on the situation, e-mail the council’s Regional Data Center at data.center@metc.state.mn.us or call in at 651-602-1464.
However, even with fare increases, transit is still a cheaper and cleaner option than driving a car. To check out the number crunching, view the WCCO story “Doing the Math on Rate Hike for Metro Transit.”
