More than three-fourths of the riders who weighed in to Metro about a drastic proposal to raise fares and cut service told the transit agency: Do not cut service.
Among the 1,842 comments made during six public hearings or submitted in writing during the one-month period, 79 percent opposed cuts to service, Metro said.
Instead, more than 70 percent favored increasing fares in some way to solve a $189.2 million budget shortfall, whether charging more for a 90-minute period of peak-of-the-peak traffic during the morning and evening commutes or increasing overall fares.
Metro did not distinguish how much riders would be willing to pay, though. The agency has proposed variable increases as much as 28 percent more.
Riders have gotten used to paying somewhat more. In late March, the agency raised all fares by a dime to cover an emergency deficit in the current budget. That extra 10 cents likely will grow bigger, given the widespread support for fare raises over service cuts.
Furthermore, employee transit benefits have lessened the pain of fare increases, as about 120,000 federal workers receive up to $230 each month to cover their transit costs and some private workers receive similar benefits. The $230 limit, though, drops down to $120 at the end of the year unless Congress takes action to renew the higher amount.
Also, 59 percent of those who commented asked local jurisdictions to increase their subsidies to the system to cover the gap. That may be tricky, though, as Maryland already signaled it may not be able to afford a $29 million increase next year, as many riders requested, because it already had to defer a promised payment due this year. Other jurisdictions say they won’t go it alone if Maryland doesn’t pony up.
» 5,475 comments
» 3,633 on-line questionnaires
» 1,842 comments made during six public hearings or submitted in writing
» Metro was also copied on 1,286 letters to the jurisdictions
Also, 59 percent of those who commented asked local jurisdictions to increase their subsidies to the system to cover the gap. That may be tricky, though, as Maryland already signaled it may not be able to afford a $29 million increase next year, as many riders requested, because it already had to defer a promised payment due this year. Other jurisdictions say they won’t go it alone if Maryland doesn’t pony up.
Riders showed less support for increasing fares for MetroAccess users, but 55 percent still backed an increase for the paratransit service. Only 23 percent supported raising Metro’s daily parking lot fees by $1.15.
Nearly 61 percent supported tapping into the capital budget reserved for long-term fixes to the system to pay for day-to-day operations, but with various caveats such as using less than $30 million.
Metro is under the gun to make decisions on possible fare increases by May 1 so any fare increases could take effect with the new fiscal year by July 1. The overall budget does not need to be approved until June 30.
