Thursday, July 1, 2010

MTA Fare Hike Takes Effect

MTA Fare Hike Takes Effect

A daily pass is up one dollar, and a monthly pass jumped from $62 to $75.
Watch Marie Mortera's Report

KTLA.com
KTLA.com
LOS ANGELES -- The cost of public transportation in Southern California just went up. A 6-percent fare hike went into effect Thursday for Metrolink trains, buses, subways and light rail systems.

It's the first Metropolitan Transportation Authority fare increase in two years.

The one-way cash fare for a bus ride has jumped a quarter to $1.50.

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A daily pass is $6, up one dollar.

Monthly passes went from $62 to $75.

Fares remain the same for students, people with disabilities, Medicare recipients and people who are 62 or older.

The MTA had planned to raise fares a year ago, but the hike was postponed because of the passage of Measure R, the county's latest sales tax to raise money for transportation projects.

Members of The Bus Riders Union protested the fare increase outside Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's Hancock Park home Thursday.

Union members say the increased fares hurt low-income individuals who comprise the majority of MTA riders.

The mayor on Thursday issued the following statement regarding the fare increases on Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority buses and trains:

"I am proud to be an advocate for transit riders and keeping fares as low as possible," said Mayor Villaraigosa. "The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority continues to have among the lowest fares of any major city in the United States. Thanks to the voters who approved Measure R, we were able to delay this fare increase and we continue to freeze fares for seniors, students, and the disabled for five years. The fare increase will affect less than half of the riders and is necessary to address budget shortfalls."

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