Chuck
Senior Member
YRT poised to be most expensive GTA system
Ticket fares to rise 25 cents if council gives nod Thursday
By: Sean Pearce
You may find yourself digging a little deeper into your pockets for exact change if a proposed York Region Transit fare increase gets approved by regional council this week.
If the proposed fare hike gets council’s nod Thursday, that ticket to ride YRT and Viva will jump from $2.75 to $3, making it the most expensive single-ride adult cash fare in the GTA.
That’s 25 cents more than what the TTC charges, 50 cents more than Mississauga Transit’s fare and 75 cents more than Hamilton’s transit system. The cost of a zone upgrade ticket will remain firm at $1.
According to YRT finance manager Paul Tobin, the proposed fare increase is nothing new, adding council looks at the possibility of increasing fares every year to combat the rising costs of delivering service.
“This is an annual exercise,†he said. “We review what our rates are and compare them to other service providers in the GTA, such as the TTC.â€
The fact is, Mr. Tobin said, the price of doing business as a transit service provider continues to rise. Insurance costs are up, contractor rates have risen and the price of diesel fuel has continued to surge.
And, with the price of oil hovering around $80 per barrel, Mr. Tobin said he doubts the price of fuel is going to do anything other than increase.
Still, the proposed fare increase is more than just a measure to counteract increasing costs, Mr. Tobin said.
For the most part, it is to ensure YRT and Viva users shoulder their fair share of the cost of the service.
The goal, Mr. Tobin said, is to have 50 per cent of YRT and Viva’s costs recovered by users of the service and 50 per cent subsidized by the property tax base.
YRT achieved that target in 2004 but, in recent years, with rising costs and more capital projects, it has become more of a 60-40 split with the property taxpayers shelling out more than riders.
The proposed increase, Mr. Tobin stressed, is not a reaction to any sort of budget crisis.
“This is not something like what the TTC did when they came out with some proposed fare increases to deal with a specific issue,†he said.
“If you look back, you’ll see that a fare increase is proposed every year (for YRT).â€
Regardless, YRT is, perhaps, a victim of its own success.
Part of the reason the cost recovery from ridership has dipped is due to the fact more riders are making use of bulk discounted fares, such as the 10-ride tickets and monthly passes, Mr. Tobin said.
This has been the case ever since the federal government began offering tax write-offs for monthly pass users. The result has been increased ridership, but less fare revenue.
The adult monthly pass is also scheduled for an increase; rising $10 from $85 to $95. That still puts it well below the price of the TTC Metropass, Mr. Tobin said, which is rising to $109.
The fact is, he said, that even if the fare increases go through, people will still be getting a good deal for the level of service offered by YRT and Viva.
Even so, Mr. Tobin acknowledged the fare increase, if it goes through, will still have potential consequences on the overall ridership.
“There is a fare elasticity calculation that’s done,†he said. “It says there is a 3 per cent drop in ridership for every 10-per-cent increase in fares.â€
Newmarket Mayor and YRT committee member Tony Van Bynen echoed many of Mr. Tobin’s statements.
The fact is, the cost of delivering service to YRT’s ridership of nearly 20 million has increased, he said.
“I never like to see a fare increase and it’s hard to recommend a 7.72-per-cent increase,†he said.
“We need to understand that the price of delivering the service has increased ... Our prices are very comparable to those of the TTC and Mississauga Transit.â€
Still, Mr. Van Bynen said, it may appear the increases will push the YRT’s prices above many of the other transit systems, but that’s largely because of the budget cycle. Many of the other municipalities haven’t looked at their 2008 fare structures yet and they, too, will likely recommend a fare increase.
That’s little comfort to users of YRT and Viva.
Riders at the Newmarket terminal were less than enthusiastic about the prospect of higher fares. Lydia Williams and Matthew Malice were already displeased their trip to Main Street in Newmarket was going to cost a combined $5.50. The thought of a fare increase is a tough pill to swallow.
“They increase (the fare) every year and it pisses me off,†Ms Williams said. “It’s already too high ... if anything, it should go down.â€
Mr. Malice said he depends on the service because of an injury, otherwise, he said he’d rather walk than pay more money to ride YRT.
“It doesn’t make sense,†he said. “If you increase the fare, you decrease the number of people using (transit).â€
Sean Haffey said he doesn’t use the service all that often, but he’s still not thrilled at the idea of paying another quarter for the bus.
“I don’t do the monthly pass thing,†Mr. Haffey said. “(The idea of) that extra 25 cents isn’t something I’m happy about.â€
The bottom line is that with increasing costs, somebody has to pick up the tab, Mr. Van Bynen said. If the ridership doesn’t pay more, taxpayers will.
“I think the reality of this is what the riders don’t pay, the taxpayers do,†he said. “Often, it’s the same person.â€
Bottom line: if you live in York Region and commute to Toronto each day, your monthly metropass now costs $204. It's getting a bit ridiculous if you ask me! By comparison, a monthly GO pass from Langstaff station is $154.
Ticket fares to rise 25 cents if council gives nod Thursday
By: Sean Pearce
You may find yourself digging a little deeper into your pockets for exact change if a proposed York Region Transit fare increase gets approved by regional council this week.
If the proposed fare hike gets council’s nod Thursday, that ticket to ride YRT and Viva will jump from $2.75 to $3, making it the most expensive single-ride adult cash fare in the GTA.
That’s 25 cents more than what the TTC charges, 50 cents more than Mississauga Transit’s fare and 75 cents more than Hamilton’s transit system. The cost of a zone upgrade ticket will remain firm at $1.
According to YRT finance manager Paul Tobin, the proposed fare increase is nothing new, adding council looks at the possibility of increasing fares every year to combat the rising costs of delivering service.
“This is an annual exercise,†he said. “We review what our rates are and compare them to other service providers in the GTA, such as the TTC.â€
The fact is, Mr. Tobin said, the price of doing business as a transit service provider continues to rise. Insurance costs are up, contractor rates have risen and the price of diesel fuel has continued to surge.
And, with the price of oil hovering around $80 per barrel, Mr. Tobin said he doubts the price of fuel is going to do anything other than increase.
Still, the proposed fare increase is more than just a measure to counteract increasing costs, Mr. Tobin said.
For the most part, it is to ensure YRT and Viva users shoulder their fair share of the cost of the service.
The goal, Mr. Tobin said, is to have 50 per cent of YRT and Viva’s costs recovered by users of the service and 50 per cent subsidized by the property tax base.
YRT achieved that target in 2004 but, in recent years, with rising costs and more capital projects, it has become more of a 60-40 split with the property taxpayers shelling out more than riders.
The proposed increase, Mr. Tobin stressed, is not a reaction to any sort of budget crisis.
“This is not something like what the TTC did when they came out with some proposed fare increases to deal with a specific issue,†he said.
“If you look back, you’ll see that a fare increase is proposed every year (for YRT).â€
Regardless, YRT is, perhaps, a victim of its own success.
Part of the reason the cost recovery from ridership has dipped is due to the fact more riders are making use of bulk discounted fares, such as the 10-ride tickets and monthly passes, Mr. Tobin said.
This has been the case ever since the federal government began offering tax write-offs for monthly pass users. The result has been increased ridership, but less fare revenue.
The adult monthly pass is also scheduled for an increase; rising $10 from $85 to $95. That still puts it well below the price of the TTC Metropass, Mr. Tobin said, which is rising to $109.
The fact is, he said, that even if the fare increases go through, people will still be getting a good deal for the level of service offered by YRT and Viva.
Even so, Mr. Tobin acknowledged the fare increase, if it goes through, will still have potential consequences on the overall ridership.
“There is a fare elasticity calculation that’s done,†he said. “It says there is a 3 per cent drop in ridership for every 10-per-cent increase in fares.â€
Newmarket Mayor and YRT committee member Tony Van Bynen echoed many of Mr. Tobin’s statements.
The fact is, the cost of delivering service to YRT’s ridership of nearly 20 million has increased, he said.
“I never like to see a fare increase and it’s hard to recommend a 7.72-per-cent increase,†he said.
“We need to understand that the price of delivering the service has increased ... Our prices are very comparable to those of the TTC and Mississauga Transit.â€
Still, Mr. Van Bynen said, it may appear the increases will push the YRT’s prices above many of the other transit systems, but that’s largely because of the budget cycle. Many of the other municipalities haven’t looked at their 2008 fare structures yet and they, too, will likely recommend a fare increase.
That’s little comfort to users of YRT and Viva.
Riders at the Newmarket terminal were less than enthusiastic about the prospect of higher fares. Lydia Williams and Matthew Malice were already displeased their trip to Main Street in Newmarket was going to cost a combined $5.50. The thought of a fare increase is a tough pill to swallow.
“They increase (the fare) every year and it pisses me off,†Ms Williams said. “It’s already too high ... if anything, it should go down.â€
Mr. Malice said he depends on the service because of an injury, otherwise, he said he’d rather walk than pay more money to ride YRT.
“It doesn’t make sense,†he said. “If you increase the fare, you decrease the number of people using (transit).â€
Sean Haffey said he doesn’t use the service all that often, but he’s still not thrilled at the idea of paying another quarter for the bus.
“I don’t do the monthly pass thing,†Mr. Haffey said. “(The idea of) that extra 25 cents isn’t something I’m happy about.â€
The bottom line is that with increasing costs, somebody has to pick up the tab, Mr. Van Bynen said. If the ridership doesn’t pay more, taxpayers will.
“I think the reality of this is what the riders don’t pay, the taxpayers do,†he said. “Often, it’s the same person.â€
Bottom line: if you live in York Region and commute to Toronto each day, your monthly metropass now costs $204. It's getting a bit ridiculous if you ask me! By comparison, a monthly GO pass from Langstaff station is $154.
