Metrorail just got more expensive for the area’s 9-to-5ers — again.
Metro officials implemented the second and final round of planned “peak of the-peak” fare increases Monday, raising the charge for morning commuters by 20 cents per ride between 7:30 and 9 a.m. on weekdays, called “the peak of the peak.”
The latest price jump follows roughly a month after Metro increased the fare during the evening peak of the peak — 4:30-6 p.m. — by two dimes, and is the third fare increase for Metro riders this summer.
Metro’s board of directors in June approved a series of fare increases in an effort to close a $189 million budget shortfall. Metro staff estimates at the time predicted the new fare increases would generate nearly $109 million in additional revenue.
Metro officials in June raised fares an average 18 percent, increasing the “peak period” base fare from $1.65 to $1.95 per ride. In August, Metro increased fares by 25 cents per ride for those using paper fare cards instead of SmarTrip cards.
The new “peak of the peak” charges for morning and evening rush hour were both scheduled to start at the beginning of August, but Metro said its computers could not handle the adjustment, and so delayed the start of the morning increase until Monday.
SmarTrip users soon will notice another unpleasant change: Riders no longer will be able to exit the Metro system with a negative balance on their cards.
Metro officials say the system’s new fare gate software won’t allow passengers to leave unless they have fully paid for their ride, mirroring the current process for paper card users.
Riders attempting to leave the system with SmarTrip cards carrying a negative balance will be turned back at the gate, and must use cash-only “Exitfare” machines to load their cards.
The new exit rules will coincide with a drop in the price of SmarTrip cards from $5 to $2.50. A Metro spokeswoman said the new exit procedures are necessary to prevent people from ripping off the system.
If the old exit gate rules were allowed to continue, conniving customers could purchase a SmarTrip card at the new $2.50 price, load it with some small amount of value and throw it away after taking a more expensive ride.
Metro officials have not announced a date for the new exit fare rules or cheaper SmarTrip card, but have said it will happen this fall.
