By Angela Deines, Topeka Capital-Journal, September 19, 2011
Riders of the Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority buses can expect to pay more in fares as of Oct. 1.
After hearing several people comment on the proposed changes Monday, the Metro board of directors voted unanimously to increase bus fares to account for a loss of local funding, (potential loss of) $600,000 in federal funding and $150,000 in federal pass-through-to state funding — or a 30 percent reduction in the board’s budget.
Board members also voted to eliminate evening and weekend paratransit taxi service beginning Nov. 1.
"This seems to be the prudent thing to do at this time," said Rodd Miller, chairman. "We're going to have to watch our dollars and cents pretty closely."
For single adult prices, the increases are from $1.25 to $2 for a single ride, $11 to $18 for a strip of 10 tickets and $33 to $50 for a monthly pass. For students, single rides will increase from 60 cents to $1.50 and $22 to $40 for a monthly pass.
For seniors and persons with disabilities, a single ride will increase from 60 cents to $1, a strip of 10 tickets will go from $6 to $9 and a monthly pass will increase from $22 to $35. Paratransit lift customers can expect to see fares go from a single ride of $2.50 to $4, and a strip of 10 tickets will increase from $25 to $40.
Metro staff members said customers who purchase strips or passes before Oct. 1 won’t have to pay additional charges after that date. They also stressed that the regular fixed bus routes won't change.
Another change to take effect Nov. 1 includes the of reduction of service to within three-quarters of a mile of the fixed routes for paratransit lift riders, impacting a potential 80 qualified riders out of 1,800. Staff members said the change still meets Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
Board member Jim Daniel said with Topeka taxpayers paying 87 cents on the dollar to subsidize bus fares and service, bus riders will have to absorb some of the fee increases.
"I think it's a reasonable conclusion that the rider will pay more," he said.
Kim Richmond, who has been a vocal critic of eliminating evening and weekend paratransit taxi service, reiterated that the board's decision puts her job and the jobs of others at risk.
"If you cut the evening service," she said, "I will lose my job."
Richmond, who said she is a waitress at a Wanamaker restaurant, said people will lose their jobs, homes and "children will go hungry" if they aren’t able to get to and from their jobs using the evening and weekend services.
During public comments during Monday's meeting, Racheal Camp, a Metro customer since 1991, asked Janlyn Nesbett-Tucker, Metro CEO, if the board had searched for any available funding that might negate the need for the fare increases or the service changes.
"We've been looking for everything," Nesbett-Tucker said. "We're turning over every rock that we can."
Camp then turned to the audience of mostly bus riders and told them they were "complaining to the wrong people."
"These people's hands are tied," she said, referring to the Metro board. "We should be talking to the governor and Congress. No matter how much we cuss and fuss, we need to go to the right people with this."
Angela Deines can be reached at (785) 295-1285 or angela.deines@cjonline.com.
http://cjonline.com/news/2011-09-19/higher-bus-fares-take-effect-oct-1