2008 Woodie Awards
VIA raises fares
Students will pay an additional $10 for a semester pass.
By Sharon Hensley
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: News
Originally published: 11/20/08 at 5:51 PM CSTLast update: 12/9/08 at 6:27 PM CST
|
Base fares will increase from $1 to $1.10. Transfers will remain 15 cents; however, the first transfer will no longer be free. VIA is projecting the elimination of free transfers to generate revenue of $638,000 for fiscal year 2009.
The monthly big pass will increase from $25 to $30 and a student semester pass will increase from $25 to $35.
The proposed VIA Metropolitan Transit fare increase becomes effective Jan. 1.
John M. Milam, VIA president and CEO, said the reason VIA requested a $10 increase in the cost of a semester pass is because it's good for 5 1/2 months. "Basically, students are paying less than $7 a month to ride the bus."
Milam said this fare increase was planned in 2004 as one of three to be implemented in a 10-year period. The semester pass is budgeted to increase to $40 in 2012. "This is important. Last year was a difficult year for us financially."
"VIA is and remains underfunded. I think, given the constraints we've had to work with, we are doing a really good job providing service."
Milam said fares make up only about 15 percent of VIA's annual revenue. The increase was needed to address taxpayer concern for riders to pay a fair share of the trip they take. "We are certainly not trying to put all the costs on the backs of the ratepayers, but they do play a part."
Milam said even though fuel costs are down, ridership is up. Fiscal year 2008 saw an 11 percent ridership increase from fiscal year 2007. October was a record-breaking month with 4,290,074 riders.
Milam said VIA felt it necessary to increase fares to increase service. At a time when many transit companies across America are cutting service, VIA intends to increase service by 4 percent.
District 4 Councilman Philip A. Cortez, District 5 Councilwoman Lourdes Galvan, Leon Valley Mayor Chris Riley and Tommy Adkisson, Bexar County commissioner Precinct 4, voted in favor of the increase.
This is an open forum for the readers of TheRanger.org. Abusive, inflammatory, slanderous, obscene and libelous language will not be tolerated. Please be considerate of other readers when posting comments. This is not the place for personal attacks. The staff of The Ranger.org reserves the right to deny publication of any posts. The comments posted here do not reflect the opinions of The Ranger staff, San Antonio College or the Alamo Community College District.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
stephanie castro
posted 11/24/08 @ 7:43 AM CST
I think it is very wrong and quite concerning that via wants to raise fares for starters why? I mean some of us cannot afford a vehicle because we are underager or it's cheaper to ride the bus then to have a vehicle of our own. (Continued…)
Post a Comment