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GO Transit riders face 25-cent hike
Mar. 9, 2006. 01:00 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
GO Transit users will be asked to pay the biggest fare hike in years if a 25-cent increase is approved for March 18.
The hike, which goes before the board of directors tomorrow, is needed to cover the rising cost of hydro, natural gas and diesel, says a report authored by Frances Chung, GO Transit's director of financial services.
GO uses a zonal fare system — setting prices based on distance travelled. The fare hike would apply to all tickets equally.
That means if the increase is approved, someone travelling from GO's Burlington station to Union Station in downtown Toronto would pay $7.65 for a single-ride ticket, while someone travelling from the Danforth GO station to Union would pay $3.70. Anyone with a March monthly pass or a 10-ride ticket will be able to use it after March 18 with no penalty.
"It's the biggest (increase) in the last few years," said Peter Smith, chair of GO Transit, although historically there have been greater increases.
Over the last several years, increases have been about 15 cents.
The board is also expected to raise student fares, but that will take effect on Aug. 19, 2006. The student discount rate and the 10-ride ticket will also be adjusted.
On a typical weekday, about 190,000 riders use GO Transit.
During last summer's gas price spike, GO directors discussed putting a temporary surcharge on tickets to cover fuel costs. It never went through.
But fuel prices are putting pressure on transit costs across the region.
"Most transit agencies in the GTA have responded to these increases in costs by raising fares approximately 25 cents," Chung wrote in the report.
After paying 54 cents a litre for fuel, the TTC has just signed a fuel contract at 86 cents a litre.
That's part of the reason the TTC is raising the price of a ticket or token by 10 cents beginning April 1. And last month Mississauga Transit raised fares 25 cents a ticket in response to higher operating costs.
News this week that Queen's Park is expected to announce funding in the March 23 budget to expand the TTC's Spadina subway line to York University has raised expectations that money will be available to help area transit systems grow.
The GO board is meeting to discuss the transit system's $280.1 million operating budget for 2006. GO expects to recover about $244.7 million of its operating budget through fares, leaving Queen's Park on the hook for a subsidy of $35.4 million.
GO expects its operating expenses to rise by $18.9 million over last year. Diesel fuel alone will cost $3.8 million extra, 20 per cent more than last year. GO's contracts with CN Rail and CP Rail to operate trains and maintain tracks will increase by $2.1 million. The cost of utilities is also up $1 million.
The GO board is also expected to approve two other budgets:
#
A $280.1 million replacement and rehabilitation budget for such things as refurbishing rail cars and buses, upgrading stations and beginning to purchase new locomotives.
#
A $348.2 million growth budget, to continue a program of building new stations and laying new track for long-term improvements.
________________________________________
meh, it's still not a bad deal.
Mar. 9, 2006. 01:00 AM
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
GO Transit users will be asked to pay the biggest fare hike in years if a 25-cent increase is approved for March 18.
The hike, which goes before the board of directors tomorrow, is needed to cover the rising cost of hydro, natural gas and diesel, says a report authored by Frances Chung, GO Transit's director of financial services.
GO uses a zonal fare system — setting prices based on distance travelled. The fare hike would apply to all tickets equally.
That means if the increase is approved, someone travelling from GO's Burlington station to Union Station in downtown Toronto would pay $7.65 for a single-ride ticket, while someone travelling from the Danforth GO station to Union would pay $3.70. Anyone with a March monthly pass or a 10-ride ticket will be able to use it after March 18 with no penalty.
"It's the biggest (increase) in the last few years," said Peter Smith, chair of GO Transit, although historically there have been greater increases.
Over the last several years, increases have been about 15 cents.
The board is also expected to raise student fares, but that will take effect on Aug. 19, 2006. The student discount rate and the 10-ride ticket will also be adjusted.
On a typical weekday, about 190,000 riders use GO Transit.
During last summer's gas price spike, GO directors discussed putting a temporary surcharge on tickets to cover fuel costs. It never went through.
But fuel prices are putting pressure on transit costs across the region.
"Most transit agencies in the GTA have responded to these increases in costs by raising fares approximately 25 cents," Chung wrote in the report.
After paying 54 cents a litre for fuel, the TTC has just signed a fuel contract at 86 cents a litre.
That's part of the reason the TTC is raising the price of a ticket or token by 10 cents beginning April 1. And last month Mississauga Transit raised fares 25 cents a ticket in response to higher operating costs.
News this week that Queen's Park is expected to announce funding in the March 23 budget to expand the TTC's Spadina subway line to York University has raised expectations that money will be available to help area transit systems grow.
The GO board is meeting to discuss the transit system's $280.1 million operating budget for 2006. GO expects to recover about $244.7 million of its operating budget through fares, leaving Queen's Park on the hook for a subsidy of $35.4 million.
GO expects its operating expenses to rise by $18.9 million over last year. Diesel fuel alone will cost $3.8 million extra, 20 per cent more than last year. GO's contracts with CN Rail and CP Rail to operate trains and maintain tracks will increase by $2.1 million. The cost of utilities is also up $1 million.
The GO board is also expected to approve two other budgets:
#
A $280.1 million replacement and rehabilitation budget for such things as refurbishing rail cars and buses, upgrading stations and beginning to purchase new locomotives.
#
A $348.2 million growth budget, to continue a program of building new stations and laying new track for long-term improvements.
________________________________________
meh, it's still not a bad deal.