Jul 1, 2009 7:33 pm US/Pacific
Bay Area Transit Fare Hikes Take Effect
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / AP / BCN) ―
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Passengers board a BART train at the Powell St. Station in San Francisco.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The cost to take public transportation around the Bay Area has gone up as of Wednesday.
Bay Area Rapid Transit, AC Transit, the San Francisco Muni and the Golden Gate ferry and bus system all have fare increases that took effect Wednesday.
For example, basic adult fares for AC Transit and Muni are going up to $2, while BART is increasing its surcharge for service to and from San Francisco International Airport to $4, up from $1.50.
Transit officials blamed falling tax revenue and state budget cuts for the fare hikes. They were also considering reducing some services and laying off workers to save money.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's board in April approved the increase in Muni fares to help close its unprecedented $129 million budget deficit, spokesman Judson True said.
Muni's adult single-ride cash fare has bumped up by 50 cents to $2, and discount single-ride fares for seniors, youth and disabled people will go up by 75 cents, a 25-cent increase.
The monthly Fast Pass rate rose from $45 to $55 and discount Fast Passes increased from $10 to $15.
Although the agency's finances were hit hard by the recession, True said, "Our goal is to continue to provide the best service possible to our customers in these difficult times."
BART fares increased by 6.1 percent, with the minimum fare increasing by 25 cents, from $1.50 to $1.75.
In an effort to close BART's $54 million budget deficit, directors also voted to increase the surcharge for trips to and from San Francisco International Airport by $2.50, from $1.50 to $4.
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District's bus fares also increased on Wednesday, for the first time since 2005.
Adult bus fares cost $2 instead of $1.75 while youth and senior fares, along with tickets for people with disabilities, jumped from 85 cents to $1.
The cost of 10-ride tickets rose from $17.50 to $20 and a monthly pass now costs $80 instead of $70.
AC Transit spokesman Clarence Johnson said the agency was also considering service cuts, layoffs and a hiring freeze to help address that agency's $57 million deficit.
Fares for the Golden Gate Ferry and Golden Gate Transit bus system were increasing by 5 percent. A trip from Santa Rosa to San Francisco, for example, is costing riders $9.25, a 45 cent increase.
Caltrain, which hiked the base fare by 25 cents in January to close a $2.7 million deficit, was not increasing fares again anytime soon, but spokeswoman Christine Dunn said the agency was considering reducing midday service, increasing parking fees and raising the price of the Go Pass.
Samtrans is slated to consider service cuts at a public hearing in August. The transit agency, which faces a $28.4 million budget deficit, last increased fares in February.
The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority was considering a fare increase in October to help offset their budget deficit, spokeswoman Jennie Loft said.
VTA reduced its deficit from a projected $78 million in February to $30 million through labor savings, including wage freezes and furloughs.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press and Bay City News contributed to this report.)
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