King County Executive Ron Sims wants a 25-cent fare increase on Metro buses to help offset rising fuel costs and avoid having to cut any service.
Sims’ recent announcement noted that fuel costs for Metro have jump more than 60 percent this year.
“This worldwide fuel crisis comes at a time of historic ridership growth for Metro Transit — and is the reason why residents are turning to transit in record numbers as their own budgets are squeezed,” Sims said. “But, the same rising fuel costs contributing to Metro’s popularity are making it more expensive to deliver service and maintain aggressive transit-growth plans.
Sims said the fare increase will allow Metro “to not slip backward at a time when these services are needed the most.”
Metro had budgeted $2.60 per gallon for diesel this year. Now, due to the spike in fuel costs, it anticipates paying an average of $3.86 per gallon in 2008. That cost difference will create a deficit of more than $14 million in 2008, despite a fare increase earlier this year to cushion the impact of rising operational costs.
Metro purchases about 12 million gallons of diesel fuel each year to power its fleet of more than 1,300 buses. Additional diesel fuel is used to operate the agency’s Access paratransit program.
“This is clearly no time to cut transit service,” said King County Councilmember Dow Constantine, chair of the council’s Transportation Committee. “We look forward to hearing from the commuting public as we review the Executive’s proposal.”
If approved by the county council, one-zone peak transit fares would increase 25 cents beginning Oct. 1 to $2 for adults from the current $1.75 fare. One zone non-peak would increase to $1.75 from the current $1.50. Senior fares will remain at 50 cents and youth fares will stay at 75 cents. Increases also are proposed for Access fares, vanpools and FlexPasses.
Sims said the proposal is intended to keep transit an affordable alternative for residents, and allow Metro to continue expanding service while paying record high fuel costs.
More information is available at www.metrokc.gov/kcdot/metrofares.
