Fare hike battle looming

For more than a decade, Los Angeles bus riders have paid $1.25 to get from one place to another - much less if they buy a monthly pass.

But that might soon change as members of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority consider raising fares.

The idea has been met with fierce opposition from members of the Bus Riders Union, which offered a counterproposal: Reduce the transit agency’s operational deficit by luring more riders on board with lower 50-cent fares.

A public hearing will occur soon.

-Jean Guccione

Comments

[movielocke]

because when you're afraid of punishing all those wealthy voters with a toll road it's better to punish all those poor, non voting immigrants (legal and illegal) instead.

Makes perfect political sense even if it is despicable to heap a fare hike upon the folks that scrape by at 10k/year or less.

A very good reason to not use rail/bus system recreationally or for commuting for most people.

Great way to drive ridership down. Which is probably what the MTA wants since most buses are so overcrowded with people they legally are supposed to add more buses, but since the MTA pretends the buses are not that crowded they can avoid the expense of adding more buses by driving riders away, more money to line their pockets with. Ahh corruption, it's why the MTA wins, and riders, and los angeles loses.

[Benjamin Brown]

They should lower it to a $1 and keep it there.

[Greg]

Ugh, wrong idea guys. Do we REALLY want to further disincentivize mass transit? How about charging to use the 405 instead? It would raise the money and clear up traffic.

Higher bus prices just mean more people in cars clogging up the major streets.