Metrobus riders may fare worse than their rail counterparts as Metro’s next budget starts to take shape.
The proposed $1.46 billion operating budget that starts July 1 for Metro isn’t finalized yet but the efforts to plug a $189 million hole are crystallizing. Metro officials will likely raise fares more than ever before in the agency’s history but avoid most of the service cuts initially threatened.
Backing away from the bulk of the service reductions represents some good news, but the potential casualties in the months-long fight are emerging: Riders overall will be losing, shouldering more expensive trips for somewhat less service and less investment in the system.
“I don’t think there are winners,” said Ben Ross with the Transit First! riders’ coalition that has been fighting service cuts. “It’s a case of averting disaster.”
Even so, rail riders appear to getting a better deal than bus riders.
Cuts to rail service would amount to just about $1.12 million, given that late-night service cuts may be off the table. Meanwhile bus cuts currently total about $4.3 million.
Although those figures are far smaller than the initial cuts proposed, totaling more than $30 million for bus and rail, they still scale back service to some of Metro’s most transit-dependent customers: bus riders.
“I certainly hope that it’s not a done deal at this point,” Ross said. “They are really cutting into meat here.”
The dollars that the agency would save are less than the cost of two new rail cars and less than the agency may be losing each year on free fare rides for its employees, retirees and former executives. The legal fees already spent advertising revamped bus service and fighting union wage increases would cover nearly half of it.
Meanwhile, bus riders would see fare increases of at least 20 percent, while rail riders would see a 15 percent increase. Metrorail users who park may not end up paying more to use the agency’s lots, but the transfer window for bus riders who receive discounts when they switch from bus to rail would drop from three hours to two.
