FREE RIDE

Metro Approves Fare Hike Plan

A HIKE IN TRANSIT FARES is just about a done deal. Reports The Post's Lena H. Sun:

By an overwhelming majority Metro board members approved today the largest increases in subway fares and parking fees in the agency's history after months of contentious debate among directors.

The 8-2 vote came during the board's finance committee meeting and essentially guarantees that the full board will formally adopt the plan at its meeting today following the committee sessions.

Here's what the committee approved, according to Sun:

» METRORAIL: A 30-cent increase in the rush-hour boarding charge, bringing it to $1.65 per trip, a 22 percent hike. There will also be a 60-cent rise in the maximum fare per trip, popping the cost ceiling up to $4.50. There are no increases planned for off-peak riders or for MetroAccess.

» PARKING: A 75-cent hike in the cost to park at Metro lots, where daily fees are as high as $4. The new price will be set for six months; after that, Metro has an option to bump it up again by 25 cents. The cost for reserve parking would also rise by $10 to $55 — a fee that comes in addition to the daily parking charge.

» METROBUS: Fares would increase by 10 cents for passengers who pay in cash, but would stick to $1.25 for those who use SmarTrip cards.

» "Metro Board Approves Subway, Parking Fee Hikes" [WaPo]
» EARLIER: "As Fare Hike Vote Looms, Commuters Fume" [Free Ride/Express]

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COMMENTS (2)

  • Was there anything in that package about running things more efficiently and trimming the fat?

    By AUA , Posted December 13, 2007 3:42 PM

  • This is simply ridiculous. The metro should be a cash-mashine-cow - have you seen how many people riding in rush-hour...probably 200 ppl per car X $3 X 8 cars = $5k from 1 train - and they come every few minutes. Companies raise prices, but salaries don't get an immediate hike. 30 cent might not sound like a lot of money - but make it 60 cents per day X 365 = $220 per year (provided you ride every day including week-ends). And the parking is already as expensive as it could get - I'm actually considering whether renting a garage monthly in DC will make it cheaper for me to commute. Right now, my cost of getting to work is about $11 per day.

    By Wildmight , Posted December 13, 2007 3:52 PM
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