Aug. 4, 2005

Faced with a budget shortfall, the Transit and Parking Commission voted to increase bus fares Wednesday evening.

While single-ride cash fares will remain at $1.50, unlimited monthly passes will go from $39 to $47 and 18-week youth passes will increase $30 to $125. The decision is effective immediately and riders will see the increase as early as Tuesday. It's estimated the increase will create an additional $414,000 in revenue in 2005, helping to offset Madison Metro's projected $1.4 million deficit.

Ald. Noel Radomski, who serves on the commission, said he hopes the decision will satisfy Mayor David Cieslewicz, who had threatened to cut Metro's budget if the increase was not deemed adequate.

"We did our job and I hope that the mayor's response will be positive," Radomski said.

Mayoral spokesman George Twigg said while the administration hasn't yet crunched the numbers, the fare increase seems "overall consistent with what the mayor asked the TPC to do."

Commission members said the fare hike will hit low-income residents the hardest and Madison Metro estimates there could be a modest decrease in ridership.

Madison Metro spokeswoman Julie Maryott-Walsh said, "Some low-income people may have to rely more heavily on other forms of transportation in the nonprofit sector."

The vote brought strong opposition from low-income, disabled and elderly riders who worry that the rate increase could have catastrophic effects on their budgets. Susan De Vos, who uses a wheelchair and rides the bus, called the fare increase a "social justice issue" and suggested increasing the fines on parking tickets to make up the budgetary difference.

Before the vote, Ald. Brian Benford, District 12, pleaded with the commission to consider other options.

"I have seen poor men counting out their bus fares in pennies in my district," Benford said.

After the meeting, Ald. Robbie Webber, District 5, said the higher priced fares might not be a solution.

"Raising fares won't always generate the income you hope it will. Rate hikes drive people away and can end up costing more than they are worth," Webber said.

Twigg said the mayor, too, was reluctant to raise fares but saw no way around it. Twigg called the increase "the worst choice available, except for all the other ones."